Dragons, Drunks, and Debates
by Rose Aislee Evans
Summary: Raisa is tired of arguing with her peers about the abilities and limitations of dragons and decides to go straight to the source to find out the truth, Saphira. This decision sparks an odd sort of friendship between girl and dragon. At first everything is normal, until she stumbles into Saphira's Rider, literally.
1. Chapter 1

It was time to settle the debate once and for all, do dragons really speak? I still maintained that they could speak but only telepathically. The others were insisting that dragons were not capable of rational thought let alone speech. The only logical way to settle the debate I argued was to actually speak to the dragon that was currently in camp, Saphira. For some reason the others had balked at actually going up to a dragon and asking her if she could talk. I had announced that if the others were such pansies then fine, I would go ask her myself. The others had laughed at me and called me crazy and told me that I would never go through with it. Of course this had made me even more determined.

I waited until I knew for sure that Nasuada had called Eragon in so he could give her a report and then I calmly made my way to where Saphira was. Was I nervous? Yes. Excited? Also a yes. I had a small blank stack of papers stitched together in a makeshift book clutched in my hands for note taking purposes. As I got closer I could see the sunlight reflecting off her blue scales and throwing an arc of light around her body. I approached with my head held high and tried not to show any fear. I stopped in front of her with my book clutched to my chest for psychological comfort and then stopped. I decided to just get it over with and go with the direct approach.

"Hello." I said with more confidence than I currently had at the moment. But if Court had taught me anything it was how to fake confidence, otherwise the vultures would descend and pick you clean. I had seen it happen to a few others, it was never a pretty sight.

One blue eye opened and looked at me with lazy curiosity.

"My name is Raisa and I have a question for you."

Both eyes were open now and looking at me with considerably more interest than a few seconds before.

"This is going to sound impertinent but I swear that I don't mean for it to sound that way it's just that there is no polite way to phrase this question."

She blew a puff of smoke and I got the impression that she was saying, well get on with it then.

"Can you speak? Telepathically I mean. Because if you could talk out loud I would have known about it as soon as it happened and there are some people who under the impression that you are a dumb animal and I said that it was a stupid assumption to make because of the bond between Rider and dragon and why would there be a bond if you couldn't communicate in some way?" I took in a deep breath in at the end of my long rambling question as I had not really stopped to breathe.

She blinked slowly and I got the impression that she was amused.

"Oh, and I give you permission to speak directly to my mind to answer my question and if you don't I guess that's my answer." I said with a shrug.

_I can speak young one. _I could hear the amusement in her voice.

"I knew it!" My voice was triumphant. I then settled myself down on the ground and made good use of a nearby rock for a hard writing surface. I had many more questions I wanted to ask her.

"Do you shed your skin like a snake?"

_No. _she sounded offended that I was comparing her to a snake of all creatures.

"Well it is an honest question! Your scales look very snake like but prettier and shinier." I offered. "Next question, how do you see? Your eyes are slitted like a cat's eye, does that mean you have better night vision than a human?"

_Yes, I have far better vision than a human at night and during the day. Your eyesight is…limited._

And so the questions went one. I paid attention not only to her words but also to her facial expressions. Or what I could discern of her facial expressions. My writing became progressively messier as I hurried to get all of the information down. I looked up at the sun and nearly jumped in surprise. It was later than I thought.

"I have to go, otherwise I am going to be late." I explained as I stood up and shook the dirt from my skirt.

_Young one, you may come back tomorrow if you wish._

"I will be back." I promised and merrily went on my way practically buzzing with excitement. My sister Isodele would be especially excited by this information. She had been sentenced to bed rest after making a miraculous recovery from a thought to be fatal illness. She was mostly better now and going out of her mind with boredom. She had read all of the books we had brought with us and had resorted to counting the individual threads in the tent she was so bored.

"Issy, you'll never guess what happened!"

She was sitting propped up with a few spare pillows when she turned her head to look at me.

"Well, guess." I said with a laugh as I plopped down on a nearby stool.

"The king asked you to marry him?"

"A real guess Issy, not a fairytale."

"I don't know, why you don't you tell me?" She had a gentle smile on her face.

"I talked with Saphira!"

"The dragon?" She gasped.

"No, the princess! Of course the dragon."

"She can talk? I knew it! Tell me everything." She demanded.

I got comfortable and told her the whole story concluding with "And she said I could come back tomorrow!"

"Oh that is so exciting, I have so many questions."

"I know, and I remember you pestering father for answers when your tutors only explained that there had once been dragons."

They were extremely unclear. They didn't even talk about their culture or their political structure which is important when trying to understand a society."

"I believe you scared away those particular tutors with all of your questions." I teased.

She scowled. "I can't help it if they are not used to girls asking questions."

"Our father is a scholar Issy, he raised us very differently from the other Nobles."

She rolled her eyes once and changed the subject. Night came and I went to bed excited for the next day, I finally had something exciting to look forward to.

The next three weeks were some of the strangest of my life. I had my lessons, visited with my sister, and then depending on what Nasuada's maid Farica said about Eragon's whereabouts, went to visit with Saphira. Our conversations slowly morphed form me asking her a question and her answering it, to games of riddles and just simply talking to each other. It was during week two that one particular conversation firmly divided my life into the before and after, though I did not know it at the time.

_There are people who are looking at you strangely for seemingly carrying on a conversation with yourself._

"Who cares if they stare?"

_We would have more privacy if you did not speak out loud. _

"What should I do instead? I don't have a single drop of magic in me, isn't that required for mind to mind conversations?"

_Only one needs magic for it to work._

"What are you suggesting?"

_I can teach you to speak with me mind to mind._

"Well how does that work?"

_Instead of speaking with your mouth, speak with your mind and direct your thought to me._

I gave her a blank look in response.

_Open your mind more and push the thought my way._

Push the thought her way? _Hello?_ I thought tentatively.

_I can hear you._

_This is amazing! _I could feel more of her emotions when I communicated this way. It was hard at first but as the weeks went on I became much better at it and could communicate with her at longer distances.

After the first few days Saphira switched to a nocturnal schedule because of scouting missions. So I began to visit her an hour or so before dusk and then left. For the first week, I bought it and then I became suspicious. How many times does it take to scout the same piece of land? With careful questioning of Farica and gentle prodding of Saphira, combined with the gossip I heard floating around, a picture began to form. An Urgal leader had left around the same time as these nocturnal scouting missions had started and then reappeared about a week and a half later. Eragon had only been spotted briefly when he and Saphira left and when they came back. He didn't visit his cousin anymore or talk with Nasuada regularly. I was frowning on my way to meet with Saphira, puzzling over the information. I kept turning it over in my mind and I felt like I was missing something, something that would make everything make sense. I shrugged it off and celebrated the fact that my sister had been up and walking for a whole hour.

_Saphira. _I greeted her, _My sister is up and walking again! The healers had to force her to lay down again. _

_That is good news Raisa._

She was happy for me but there was an undercurrent of moodiness that I had noticed for these last three weeks. Since she did not have a cycle like a human women, I was at a loss to describe it when I had an epiphany. The mental bond between dragon and Rider was strong and if it was severed by distance, it made them twitchy for lack of a better word. They did not like not knowing the well-being of their Rider. Then I began to piece together the Urgal's sudden departure and arrival. Why no one had actually talked to Eragon or really seen him in weeks.

_Saphira. _I began hesitantly. _Is Eragon really here? Or has he left?_

She looked at me sharply and suddenly I remembered that Saphira is very much a dragon and behaves differently than a human.

_No, he is not._

_Where is he?_

There was silence.

_You don't have to tell me, I'm just glad I figured out why you have been so moody lately._

_I have not been moody! A dragon does not get moody._

I laughed and switched topics. A few days later Saphira just left with no explanation. I hunted down Farica to get some answers from her. With some reluctance she told me, reasoning that it couldn't hurt anything if I knew since it had already happened. Of course it had to be dwarven politics. Over a week passed before Saphira and Eragon got back and in that time Issy was walking around and now riding a horse.

There was a celebration in honor of the new Dwarf king and I could practically smell the alcohol in the air. I slipped out at the first opportunity, with my hand on my dagger just in case. All seemed to be clear and I relaxed slightly before I heard lumbering footsteps behind me. I started to walk faster and altered my path so I would run into Saphira, hopefully a dragon would scare them off. If a dragon did not, then they were stupid and probably drunk. My hand tightened around the hilt as I heard three pairs of footsteps and loud laughter. I relaxed some but continued to walk.

"What's the hurry sweetheart?" I turned to face the men and could smell the alcohol on their breath.

"Leave me alone." I warned.

"Ah you don't mean that." The other said with a leer and took a step closer.

I searched for Saphira's conscious and called for help. I pulled out my dagger and held it in a defensive position. "Stay back." I hissed.

They laughed and stumbled forward. "I'm warning you."

"She's got fire in her, I like that."

That did it. I slashed and left a nice clean deep slice from the corner of his eye to the edge of his jaw.

"You little!" They lunged as one and I was extremely lucky that they were drunk, otherwise I would not have stood a chance.

My hand was slippery with blood now and I took a step back and collided with someone. I jumped forward and to the side. There was a fourth one? He grabbed my wrist and whispered gently "Easy." He released me and made quick work of the three men. I squinted in the dark to try to make out the face of my rescuer.

"Are you alright?"

"Yes. But who…" I trailed off as he stepped closer and I was able to make out his face. "Eragon."

"Yes, and you must be Raisa."

And that was how I officially met Eragon Shadeslayer.

**A/N This was originally intended as a one-shot but if I get enough people wanting me to continue this I could turn it into a multi-chapter story.**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N Thank you to: ****i am a Fire-jay, mara, Satar113, Tessa Oswin Holmes, rajaman0, David Nathan, and Niet boeiend for leaving a review. Here is 'more' and I hope that all of you like it. Thank you also to those who favorited/followed this story.**

Things soon changed after I met Eragon Shadeslayer. When I went to talk to Saphira she was not always alone, Eragon was there perhaps half the time. It was not uncommon for me to see him around the camp and instead of being able to go unnoticed like before, he always made an effort to exchange a few words with me. It was different and strange and I was not sure how I felt about it. I stared down at my sister and sighed.

Issy had been begging me for days to meet Saphira. I always told her that she was not yet strong enough. Finally I had no more excuses and hesitantly asked Saphira if it was okay with her if I brought my sister with me next time. She had agreed, apparently she was just as curious to meet Isodele as Isodele was to meet her because I had talked about both of them so much.

Which is how I found myself carefully watching my sister as I led her to Saphira. Her color was far better than before and her legs were not near as shaky as they had been a couple of weeks ago. I knew I was hovering and that I bothered her when people got that close to her but I did not care.

"Stop it Raisa, you're making me nervous."

"Just be careful."

She rolled her eyes. "I know, quit worrying."

A minute or two passed in silence then, "We're here."

"Really? What gave it away? The blue dragon lying right there in the sun?" She said sarcasm dripping from every word.

"There's no need to be rude."

"That was not being rude. That was being sarcastic, big difference."

"Your tone was more rude than it was sarcastic."

"Not it wasn't."

"Yes it was Issy." I said firmly.

She gave me a harrumph as we stopped and found places to sit. I introduced them as I carefully arranged the skirt of my dress and pushed back a strand of dark hair that had come free of my bun. For a long time Isodele was transfixed by Saphira and did not say a single word. I waited patiently for the torrent of questions to rush forth out of her mouth. Issy never stayed silent for long and had the habit of saying whatever came to her mind with complete disregard for the feelings of others. She wasn't actively trying to be rude the majority of the time, it was just that she is incredibly blunt and does not see the point of small talk and picks up on things that others do not notice. She was indulged more in this when she was a child but now that she is fourteen, it just made people feel mildly uncomfortable and defensive.

"Are dragon's scales always monochromatic or do you get a mix of colors?"

_We are always monochromatic._

"Hmm, is the color of scales inherited from one or both parents and if by one parent do the color of scales match up with the parent that is the same gender?"

Saphira gave a slow blink before answering. _We receive our coloring from either of our parents, it does not always match up with gender. Sometimes the color of our scales skips a generation. _

"I have heard that dragons can use magic in some cases but do not need the words of a spell and that they do not even have to say anything at all. How do you work magic and how come you don't use it more often?"

_We do not need words because we know our own minds and know exactly what we want our magic to do. Our magic comes from a primal place deep within us and we cannot always control when we can access it. _

Issy nodded sagely and propped her chin up on her hands. "What is it like to fly?" She asked wistfully.

_There is nothing else like it. It is pure freedom and joy. I cannot describe it any better than that. _

"Someday, I will find a way to fly." Isodele said resolutely.

"You get sea sick, how do you know it would not be the same in the air?" My voice was reasonable as I spoke.

"I wouldn't."

"How do you know that?"

"Because I actually want to fly, I don't trust boats." She said this last part seriously and directed it towards Saphira.

_Why ever not?_

"Because they are not very sturdy and they are stuffy and I get nauseous on any type of boat."

"She fell off a small river boat when she was a child and almost drowned. She has never completely gotten over the experience."

"I am too over it. I don't mind going swimming. The water doesn't scare me, the boats do."

"If you had not been climbing up on the railing you would have not fallen out. Father warned you not to."

"And of course I climbed it. I was at the stage that I did everything that I was told not to do. That stage of life was a good learning experience though."

_How was it a good learning experience Isodele?_

"Because I learned that some rules are there for a very good reason and others are just there to preserve social norms."

We talked for a little while longer until I noticed the signs of my sister's fatigue. We said our goodbyes and I supported my sister so we could walk back to our shared tent. I left her there with strict orders to rest, and then exited the tent. I had no idea where I was going and all I knew was that I was feeling restless and could not stay still in a tent. I wandered around and weaved my way through the crowds of people. I paused in a patch of shade and was minding my own business when I heard snatches of a conversation. I made to go another way when I caught the words _Helgrind _and _Katrina _and something else about _Ra'zac. _My curiosity piqued by the first and last words as they sounded familiar, I ran through my mental collection of books and scrolls because I knew that I should know them.

It came to me suddenly and I shuddered at what I remembered. I wanted absolutely nothing do with whatever they were discussing and retraced my steps to go another way. I did not get far before I was stopped by a touch at my elbow. I turned and came face to face with Eragon.

"Raisa, how much did you hear?"

"Enough to know that whatever is happening I want no part in it. Helgrind and its inhabitants can rot for all I care."

"You are remarkably well educated for a Noble's daughter." He remarked.

"My father is a scholar. To him ignorance is the worst sin a person can commit." I replied.

He scrutinized me carefully before giving me a single nod. "Saphira trusts you so that means that I do as well. But know that if you do tell anyone what you heard, there will be severe consequences."

Threat received loud and clear. So much for trusting me, but then again if I was in his position I would not be too trusting either. So I squared my shoulders and looked him straight in the eye.

"I understand. But whatever you are going to do, it would be a good idea to let Nasuada know so she doesn't go into panic mode. "

That got his attention and as he once again studied me I was suddenly hit by how alien some of his facial features appeared. The overall effect worked for him though; as he did not seem as unapproachable and untouchable as the elven spellcasters appeared. I could see why so many women were going gaga for him. I gave an internal shrug, just because I could understand it did not mean that I had the same feelings. I could admit when someone was attractive without being attracted to them.

"And how do you know Nasuada that well to know that is what she would do?"

"I don't know her that well, but I have eyes and ears of my own." I announced magnanimously.

When he just stared at me, obviously waiting for more I sighed and then elaborated on my answer.

"And I know Farica, Nasuada's maid." My mind flashed back to finding her in Surda with a distraught expression on her face. She had gotten lost and I had helped her find her way. I remembered being in her shoes so to speak. When I had first left my father's estate for Court I had gotten lost more times that I care to admit. A kind older Lady had helped me find my way during those first few weeks and I wanted to return the favor to someone else. One good deed deserving another and all that. I am a big believer in what goes around comes around and I did not want my (non)actions to come around one day and bite me in the butt so to speak.

"That actually explains a lot."

I tilted my head to the side in question.

"It's not important." He gave me a fleeing smile but there was grim determination in his eyes when he next spoke. "Saphira and I will be gone for a few days."

I filled in the blanks. They must be going to Helgrind for some reason, perhaps to kill the Ra'zac but the way he said it and his body language screamed to me that it was personal somehow. I pitied whoever came up against the combined wrath of Eragon and Saphira.

"Okay."

"Do you think you can manage to stay out of trouble for that long?"

"I was doing just fine before the two of you came along, besides with the stories that Saphira had told me, I should be asking you that." I said with one eyebrow raised.

"She told you?" For a moment his mask cracked and I saw the person underneath without the burden of being the last free Dragon Rider and all that entailed, and I instead saw a young man who was outraged that I now knew some embarrassing stories about him.

"Well yes, what did you think we did the whole time? Exchange hair tips?"

"I can't believe that she told you." He muttered.

"Don't worry, I don't think any less of you to know that you are as human as the rest of us." I said with a teasing smile.


	3. Chapter 3

I hadn't realized how much a part Saphira was of my daily routine until she was gone. I had been strangely morose ever since and I could tell that I was getting on Issy's nerves. She had kicked me out of the tent a few hours before and told me to go mope somewhere else. I had wandered aimlessly before ending up sitting next to Farica and watching the goings on of Nasuada's tent. It was certainly an educational experience. Honestly I was surprised that I hadn't been kicked out yet but apparently Farica'a word counted for something.

I had achieved a state of deep relaxation and while still awake, my attention was elsewhere. Which was why I nearly fell over when Farica suddenly stood up and shifted whatever it was we were sitting on. (Because it certainly was not a chair.) My attention now back on the tent and whatever it was that was happening, I noticed a lot of movement and everyone was exiting the tent. Deciding that wherever they were going was probably going to be far more interesting than staring into space, I followed. Years of always being on the short side of the height spectrum had taught me how to slip through the gaps that the taller people left; which is how I found myself walking next to Elva. From the few interactions I had seen her have with others and my own quiet observations; I had come to the conclusion that she was a scarier more socially inept form of my sister Issy which had taken away my uneasiness at her presence. I actually thought that her violet eyes were quite pretty.

"So, what are we doing?" I addressed this question to Elva, who glanced up at me briefly before she answered. I counted it a victory that she had bothered to respond at all.

"Saphira is back, which you would have known had you bothered to pay any attention at all."

I brightened up considerably at this. "Really?"

"If you didn't know why we were leaving, why did you follow?"

Underneath the contempt I could detect a faint trace of curiosity.

I shrugged. "Because whatever could cause everyone to empty out of the tent had to be interesting."

She didn't bother to reply to that and we walked the rest of the way in relative silence. We stopped in a large open space and I raised one hand to shield against the sun and when I squinted I could just make out the speck that was Saphira; coming closer. I rocked back and forth on my toes absentmindedly as I watched. And then there was another huge commotion and people were being ordered far away. Grumpy and confused, I began to go away with them but was stopped by a sharp tug on the sleeve of my dress. I looked down to see Elva looking at me with the cynical eyes of a hardened bitter woman.

"Not you, stay. She knows you."

A little annoyed at being ordered, but more curious about what exactly was going on I did as I was bid and stayed. There was no doubt in my mind of who this 'she' was, but I still had no clue about what was really going on. Then Saphira was landing. I missed whatever was said immediately after because I was in the middle of sneezing, violently. Saphira's wings had kicked up a lot of dust. Eyes watering but sneezing now under control I stared with interest at the two passengers that had just disembarked. One I knew by sight, Roran and the other was a women. Her dress hung loosely around her and her cheekbones stood out in stark relief. This must be Katrina. But one person seemed to be missing, Eragon. I could tell just by looking at her that Saphira was not happy, at all.

My sneezing fit made me miss a few things, for example, the reason why Arya took off like she was being chased by a pack of wolves. With an eye roll I approached Katrina. Someone needed to help her and judging by the stares she was getting from the others; they were too much in awe of her to realize she was human and a human woman at that.

"Hello, I am Raisa. I have a dress that should fit you and you must want to get out of this heat."

I noticed the protective arm that Roran had around her and suppressed another eye roll. "She will be fine."

Katrina murmured a thank you and we were off; Roran following as well. I ordered Roran to stay outside when he tried to follow us into the tent and then ducked under the opening. I headed straight for the trunk I kept at the foot of my cot and rummaged through the dresses before locating a suitable dress. I emerged triumphant and scrapped back the strands of hair that had escaped my bun. Katrina stood by the wash basin and was scrubbing her face. She soon finished and I helped her into the dress. It fit her well enough. It was a little too tight in the bust but it would work. She then exited the tent and I let the two lovers have some much needed alone time. I was practically bursting at the seams with curiosity but knew better than to try to get answers out of them. So once again I went straight to the source, Saphira.

_You are sulking again._

_I am not sulking, a dragon does not sulk._

_Well you are, I can tell. Basic emotions seem to be transferring with this and I can read your body language. I'm Saphira-lingual. Now please tell me what happened. Obviously you were successful in retrieving Katrina, but what happened to Eragon?_

_He stayed behind. _I could feel the raw pain this statement caused her.

_Why?_

_He said he needed to make sure that there were no more Ra'zac and he wanted to see if there were scrolls that could help us._

_But why did you have to leave right away? Couldn't he have checked and then left with you? That seems to be a pretty boneheaded move and even though he has his moments of stupidity from what you have told me this just seems extreme. There has to be more to it._

_That was all he told me._

I dropped the conversation, sensing that I would not be able to get any more out of her and instead settled more comfortably against her side. Her bulk had caused her to cast a shadow and it was far less stuffy out here than in a tent.

I awoke with a groan on the hard floor of the desert. And then wheezed to get my breath back after falling. I turned my head to look at the sky and noted that the sun had traveled quite a ways. I sat up and huffily tried to get the dirt off the front on my dress. I turned my body. Saphira was still there and as I looked her neck twisted until she was looking at me with one large amused eye.

_Have a nice nap?_

_I did thank you. It was the waking up part that was not so nice._

I got the impression that she was laughing at me. I studiously ignored her and rose to my feet, took one step and then stopped when blackness swarmed my vision. I had stood up too fast. I stayed still and when I could see again I kind of wished I couldn't. Nasuada, leader of the Varden stood there in all her glory.

**A/N A thank you to: green angel01, Farreign, Tessa Oswin Holmes, and SareerMalfoy for leaving a review, keep them coming! It took me awhile to get this chapter out because this story could go one of two ways and I need your opinion to decide, I am pretty much split down the middle. Option one is that I just focus on Saphira and Raisa's friendship and have no romance. Option two is that I turn this into an Eragon/OC romance but it would be more slow building. Also, is there a character you would like to see more of or one that you would like me to introduce? So please let me know, thanks! Also, the timeline of things is a little different than what happened in the books. The order of events has been changed slightly to meet my needs.  
**


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N A thank you to: Elemental Dragon Slayer, SareerMalfoy, SoraLover987142, green angel01, Claret Tho, i have no idea (guest), and Vivi-ntvg for leaving a review! Your support means so much to me, please keep reviewing! This chapter starts to dive into AU territory but it was kind of already there because I changed the order of events…anyway, this is fanfiction so I can do that. On a different note, I am looking for somebody to bounce ideas off for this story and to kick my butt into gear to update more often. If you are interested just shoot me a PM. Thanks!**

The only thing currently running through my brain right now was a variation of 'what in the world does she want with me?' I shifted in the chair and patiently waited for Nasuada to speak, when she was done getting her full staring at me. Her expression gave nothing away and Farica hadn't said anything to me at all about this so I was completely in the dark.

"Saphira likes you."

"Ah, yes…?"

"She trusts you."

I nodded this time, still feeling very confused.

She leaned back in her chair. "You are one of the few people that she says that about. And you are a Noble's daughter. You understand politics, you are educated, and you have a good head on your shoulders."

Her head tilted to the side and the gesture reminded me of a bird of prey. "What is your relationship with Eragon?"

"We are acquaintances."

"People have seen the two of you talk often and he makes an effort to seek you out. He does not do that with just anyone."

"Saphira and I are friends, he does it for her sake. We really are just acquaintances." I insisted.

"I have a proposition for you. The Varden requires a representative to accompany Eragon and Saphira to the Elves. You are familiar with their culture from your studies and you know Saphira and Eragon. Saphira does not let just anyone ride her and speed is needed."

"I was not aware that they were going back."

"Not right away but soon."

"I thought Arya went with them before."

"She did because she was the only one who knew how to get there. Now she is not the only one and she is needed here. Whenever she gets back." Her eyebrows drew together before smoothing out. "We also need the Elven spell casters here."

She gave me a steely look. "Farica speaks highly of you which is another reason for you to go. I need someone trustworthy to keep an eye on the elves."

"You think that they will betray us? They revere dragons!"

"It is not their safety that I have concerns with. The elves do not think like us, they do not have the same priorities. Arya, for all of her good qualities is an elf and I have noticed that you are remarkably adept at diffusing tense situations and you get along well with most anyone."

"I am but sixteen. Aren't I too young?"

"I am only nineteen and I am the leader of the Varden. It is not our age that determines our abilities."

I bit my lip in thought. "If my father approves of this then yes I will go. I don't suppose you know when they plan to go back?"

She shook her head. "That depends on a few different factors. The most I will be able to give you is a day's notice."

She stood up and I quickly followed. She looked at me shrewdly one more time before I saw the barest hint of a smile on her face.

"Saphira said you would agree."

"You talked to her about this?"

"Of course. She was most insistent that if someone really had to go and they had to be human that it had to be you."

888

I walked back to my tent is a daze and only snapped out of it when I saw Issy looking at me with an expectant expression as she sat on her cot. Her legs were swinging back and forth and my eyes narrowed at that. Trouble usually followed that particular position and expression.

"What happened?"

The wariness was clear in my voice.

"Nothing terrible. Honestly Raisa you always assume the worst!"

"There is a very good reason for that which you very well know."

"For the last time I didn't mean to! The experiment just got away from me."

"And I was the one who had to calm down the angry soldiers and promise that the same thing wouldn't happen again."

"I told them I was sorry."

"It was the tone of voice." I collapsed in sudden tiredness on my cot.

"Now, what happened?" I prompted.

"I met Angela!"

"Should I know who that is?" I mumbled.

"The herbalist!"

"Because that clears things right up."

"She was the one who poisoned the soldiers and has a werecat.'

"Oh her." I muttered, my tired brain finally catching up.

"She said I could go back tomorrow and help her."

"That's nice."

"Are you even listening to me?"

"Hmm."

I drifted off as Issy words gradually blended together and then became white noise.

888

Saphira and I watched the horizon in silence. I could tell she was restless but she didn't leave.

_I'm sure he's fine._ I placed a comforting hand on her neck.

_I do not like letting him out of my sight. He manages to get in the worst kind of trouble when I am no there._

_At least he is more equipped than most to handle whatever comes his way. Arya has probably found him by now._

_The trouble he attracts is not average in any way._

_I feel like we had this conversation many times. _

_We have. _She growled out.

_I also feel like he has been gone half the time I have known you._

_That is also correct._

_I am sorry the two of you are separated so often._

She shifted her wing so I stood in the shade and I knew that this was her way of thanking me for talking with her.

Nearly an hour passed in silence before I reluctantly spoke up.

_I need to leave or I will be late for my studies. I'll come back tomorrow. _

She shifted so I could get up and then I was off, picking my way through the crowded camp. Issy had beaten me like always and sat with perfect posture while she waited for our father.

"How was Angela?"

This launched her off into a description of all the things they had done. I understood about half of what she said. When Issy gets excited about a subject her language gets so dense that most people can't understand a word that she says. Luckily I was more fluent in Issy-speak and was able to get the gist of it. I nodded and hmmed when appropriate and just let her go on.

She was just finishing up when our father walked into the tent carrying several different scrolls and books. Years of habit made the both of us straighten up immediately and give him our full attention. What followed was a highly technical lecture on mathematics. After assigning Issy several problems he turned to me and continued his lesson, diving deeper into the theoretical. Physics inevitably followed mathematics and in both of these subjects I was further ahead than Issy. I liked the cut and dry nature of mathematics and physics. As long as you had the correct formula and numbers you would always get it right. Something I appreciated as real life was rarely like that.

I flexed my fingers to get rid of the cramps and grimaced when I saw the ink smeared all over my fingers and the edge of my sleeve. I pushed up both sleeves and walked over to the washbasin in an attempt to get the ink off. It was a futile effort. Looks like it would sticking around for a few days.

I changed into my night things and wondered when Eragon and Arya would get back. Saphira did not particularly get along with the different Elven spell casters and had the habit of just taking off for a flight whenever they annoyed her too greatly which left them scrambling. I found the whole situation hilarious but was careful to disguise it on my face when inevitably one of the spell castors found me and asked (more like demanded) if I knew where Saphira was. I could sort of understand this as about half the time she would either find me or call for me to come. Of course the other half she really did just go for a flight. She was always calmer whenever she got back which was good news for me because I seemed to take the brunt of her moods. I wasn't sure if it was because I was getting better at deciphering the emotions that came through telepathic contact with her or if she was sending more through the link. Whatever the reason, I would be ecstatic when Eragon came back.


	5. Chapter 5

I had found a rock that was flat and had smooth edges, probably originally from the river, and was tossing it back and forth between my hands staring mindlessly out into the distance. After I had complained enough times about how uncomfortable the ground was and how my dresses were always covered in dust Saphira had finally told me irritably that if it would cease my yammering I could sit on her. Grinning, I had heartily agreed. Then I had stopped short as I pondered how I was going to get on without flashing my underthings to everybody. After careful consideration of all the angles I concluded that as long as my steps up were not too wide I would be fine. Then with a grunt I was able to hoist myself up. Now I was sitting sideways and glad that there were no more rocks digging into my skin.

Saphira was quiet and I got the impression that she was dozing off which suited me just fine because there were times when I just wanted to get lost in my own head. Being by Saphira almost guaranteed that I would be left alone. Most of the people here had a healthy respect and fear for Saphira. Issy didn't care and would come marching up whenever she wanted help with an equation or needed to talk out loud about an experiment that just wasn't working and needed to say things out loud to help figure out what the problem was. Now that Issy had attached herself to Angela (and that girl was persistent) I saw Angela around more and had had some odd conversations with her. After coming away from one with a headache because her logic just seemed so far out there I had concluded that Issy and Angela were a perfect match and left them to do their experiments and herbal concoctions in peace.

While I was thus minding my own business and causing absolutely no trouble for anyone, I felt a bunching of muscles from Saphira, heard something to the effect of 'hang on' and then she was airborne. Luckily the way I had my weight distributed forced me to fall sideways and with the momentum I already had was able to swing one leg across Saphira's back. My hands attached themselves to one of Saphira's spikes and I took a second to mourn my rock as I was forced to release it so I wouldn't you know, fall of Saphira'a back and die painfully. I am not ashamed to admit that I screamed, but it was only for like five seconds. Okay it was thirty!

But honestly, I had gone from sitting there quietly to zooming through the air in the span of three seconds with hardly any warning. The worst part was that she was wearing no saddle so I had to rely completely on the strength of my grip and hope and pray that she wouldn't do any fancy tricks. Of course, I could have asked her why she had taken off so suddenly and if I had been thinking straight I probably would have. Unfortunately all my thoughts were along the lines of 'Ah! Please don't fall off please don't fall off. Why isn't she wearing a saddle? Eek, bird! That bird almost hit my face! She's diving! Is my stomach really supposed to be that high?' All things considered I figured I had done pretty well for my first flight, especially since it was a complete surprise and there was no saddle. Did I mention the fact that there wasn't a saddle? I mean I could have thrown up, but I didn't!

After she landed I was vaguely aware of the sound of voices but I was too busy getting my heart rate under control to really pay attention. Slowly I loosened my death grip on the spike and sat up before somehow sliding down her side. I managed three steps and then promptly fell over landing on my rear. I blinked a few times and then crossed my arms and glared at Saphira.

"The next time you decide to do something like that please give me more warning than 'hold on'."

_I am sorry._ Now that I was paying attention I could feel the joy radiating off of her.

I then came to the brilliant conclusion that Eragon must be back and that was why she had taken off, and that one of the voices that I had heard must have been his as well. Sure enough, I was right. Arya was also there looking at me with an indecipherable expression. I decided to ignore it and indulge in some well-deserved gloating.

"I told you that Arya would find him and bring him back."

I was mostly ignored in favor of the reunion that was taking place. I wasn't offended and continued to prattle on sure that there was at least a tiny part of her brain that was actually listening to what I was saying.

"You made me drop my rock you know. I really liked that rock, it was smooth and pretty with little blue flecks in it." I let out a long suffering sigh and then decided to stand up because there were several small pebbles digging in.

I dusted my dress off the best I could and gave my hair up as a lost cause. I turned to Arya and smiled brightly.

"Hello, I don't believe that we have been formally introduced. I am Raisa." I gave a graceful curtsy and looked at her expectantly.

There was the faintest traces of a smile on her lips as she regarded me. "I am Arya, but you seem to already know that."

I shrugged. "What member of the Varden doesn't?"

Eragon and Saphira seemed to have finished greeting one another when Saphira swung her head my way and one large blue eye took up almost the entirety of my vision. She gave a slow blink before addressing my earlier comments.

_You are far too annoyed that you dropped your rock, there was nothing particularly special about it nor was it a precious gem that you human females seem to favor._

"I was emotionally attached to it. Plus I was fantasizing about throwing it at Blodhgarm's head the next time he asked me where you were and made his disapproval clear that I didn't even try to talk you out of taking off without one of them to protect you." Then I had a very happy thought. "But he won't be bothering me anyone more because Eragon is back! Praise the gods!"

Then I had an even happier thought. "And you won't be moody anymore!"

_I do not get moody. _Pause. _Would you really throw a rock at his head?_

"No, I really don't need an elf with a grudge against me for the rest of the life. And I don't need people thinking that I am crazy because I threw a rock at an elf."

Eragon looked at me and I got the feeling that he was reconsidering what he thought of me. For good or for bad only time would tell. I then turned and looked behind us. The camp was only a dark smear in the distance and I was surprised that she had flown so far in that short of a time span.

_Climb up._

_Huh?_

_I am going to fly you back to camp. You are not fast enough to keep up with Eragon and Arya. And Eragon says that since I was the one to take you away from camp than I should be the one to take you back._

_That was nice of him. _I scrambled up her side and once again locked my fingers around the closest spike.

The flight back was far more leisurely and not nearly as terrifying as the one before. I didn't scream this time and was able to look around without fearing that I would fall off. Saphira flew straight back to the Varden without the urgency that had characterized that first flight. A question occurred to me while I was looking up at the sky, why hadn't Arya and Eragon come back with us? I voiced that thought aloud to Saphira and this was her reply.

_They would prefer not to draw too much attention to themselves because Eragon needs to speak to Nasuada immediately. Arriving with me would defeat that purpose, whereas the Vadren seeing you would not be considered too unusual. Almost everyone knows that we are friends._

I accepted that explanation and dismounted with far more grace than the first time. As I stood there and considered what had just happened only one thought came to me.

_That was actually a lot of fun the second time._

_Not the first?_

_The first time I was terrified that I was going to fall off and die a painful death and my last words to my sister would be 'Next time you use dung in an experiment you have to wash off before coming in to the tent.'_

I examined the ground around me intently and slowly walked in ever growing circles.

_What are you looking for?_

_My rock obviously. _

She was quiet and then with one sharp claw she delicately touched a rock a few feet away from me. I squinted and moved closer then I grinned and bent down to scoop up my rock.

_Thank you Saphira._

_You are welcome young one._

**A/N Thank you to green angel01 and SareerMalfoy for their reviews! I am also grateful for all of the follows/favorites this story has received. Please keep reviewing, it gives me a much needed kick in the rear to sit down and write. I am curious, is there anything in particular that you would like to see happen?**


	6. Chapter 6

"This is a terrible idea."

"It will work."

"No it won't."

"Then why are you here?"

"To provide adult supervision." I muttered. "And to tease you about this when it goes up in flames."

"But I want it to go up in flames."

"You know what I mean."

Issy rolled her eyes. "It will work." She insisted.

"That's what you said last time. And the time before that, and the time before that."

She was unperturbed. "I learned, failure is only failure if a person refuses to apply the lessons learned to the next attempt."

I glanced at the dull black container filled with powder with a wick from a candle trailing off the side and back to Issy holding flint in her hands.

"You sure you have the right mixture this time?"

"I changed the amount of fertilizer but we shall see if it works."

She struck the flint (she had become quite adapt at it) and the string caught fire. We ran to the pile of rocks.

"I still can't believe that they are allowing you to do this."

"Angela says there is nothing wrong with having a side project as long as it does not take time away from my other duties. Besides when I attempted to explain it to other people their eyes glaze over. I do not believe that they understand what it is I am trying to accomplish."

"It will save a lot of soldiers lives if this works."

"It will kill more of the enemy. This is meant to destroy not to protect. I am under no illusions to what it is I am doing."

"The more of the enemy that die the fewer our soldiers have to fight."

She shrugged. "If you want to look at it that way."

Then there was a loud boom and I was knocked to the ground. I felt stinging pain in my hands and a sharp pain in my knee. I staggered to my feet and peered up over the rocks. Scorch marks fell in a fifty feet radius but as there was nothing else for the fire had burned out.

"That was certainly more powerful than last time…"

She nodded sagely as she scribbled notes down. "If I am to go ahead with my original plan and make the containers enclosed so that the catapults can fling them perhaps I need an accelerant. You can go, that was the last test of the day."

She didn't look up as I said goodbye to her and trudged back to the camp.

I looked down at my hands. They were bleeding and small rocks were imbedded into the skin from my fall. I sighed. I couldn't do anything about them until I was back and it was not like it was a gaping wound. My knee on the other hand, it was causing me to walk with a slight limp.

I hummed quietly to myself to make the time pass. I was focused on my destination, (Issy called it target fixation) and thus did not notice him until I had run into him. An apology immediately sprang from my lips and trailed off once I realized who it was.

"Eragon!"

His hands where still gripping my upper arms from when he had steadied me.

"Should I expect this kind of greeting every time?"

"It does seem to becoming a habit of mine."

He released me and took a step back.

"Sorry again, I was just focused in getting back to my tent so I could wash the rocks out of my hands."

I held them up to show him.

"I can help with that."

"Hmm?"

"Your scratches, I can heal them for you." He elaborated.

"Ah, thank you. I still need to rinse them out though…"

"No problem." He stepped to the side so I could continue to my tent.

I poured water into a bowl and dunked my hands in. It stung some, but overall it was relatively painless. I glanced up. Eragon had followed me in and was standing just inside the entrance.

"I'm done."

He stepped forward with quiet ease and gently cupped the back of my hands with his left hand and with a murmured word too low for me to hear, his palm lit up and my scratches were gone.

"Thank you, you really didn't have to do that they would have healed quickly on their own."

"It is fine, it's not like I don't have the energy for it." A pause then, "Why did you fall?"

"Issy was experimenting."

"Ah."

It was rather telling that the only thing I had to say was 'Issy was experimenting' and it was immediately accepted as a reason for injuries. Hmm, maybe I should be concerned by this. Eh, she had been doing similar things since she was younger. This was normal.

"Was there something that you needed? You were right by my tent."

"Roran and Katrina are getting married in three days."

"Okay…"

"We want to leave for Ellesméra the day after the wedding."

Ellesméra? Oh the capitol of the Elves. "Thank you for letting me know. I will be ready."

My mind immediately went to all the things that I would need to pack and of course I would have to pack light. I had already began a mental list of all the books I wanted to bring. Which in turn reminded me that I really needed to continue practicing speaking the Ancient Language. I could read and write the Ancient Language well enough, it was speaking it that I struggled with. I just couldn't get the accent right. I had started practicing with some of the Elven spell castors and had quickly figured out which ones had the patience for it, and which ones didn't. Hearing a native speaker had already caused me to improve and Yaela in turn learned of humans and our customs from me. Apparently we were a quite perplexing people. Which is what I thought of the Elves. So it worked out for the both of us. Yaela had also told me that it made protecting Saphira easier because she was more likely to stay by me when Eragon was gone. So I was improving and I hoped that I would get better on the journey there as well. Not that I would have the fluency of a native speaker, but my goal was to be able to converse without embarrassing myself.

"Raisa? Are you listening to me?" "Hm? Oh! Sorry, I was just thinking about what I need to pack. What were you saying?" There was a faint grin on his face as he replied.

"Nothing important. I am sure Saphira will fill you in on the details." Then he said goodbye and he was gone.

**A/N A thank you to: Vivi-ntvg, Echosong the reaper, and Sareer Malfoy for leaving a review! And of course to all of those who have followed/favorited this story. As for Issy and her experiment, well if Tolkien can do it in Middle-Earth why can't I do it in this story? Guys it is my birthday and I would absolutely love it if we could get to 40 reviews!**


	7. Chapter 7

It is a statistical fact in my life that Tuesdays are always horrible. My mother died on a Tuesday. My sister almost drowned on a Tuesday. I was almost assaulted on a Tuesday. I could come up with far more examples but those are the three that spring to mind. As if to make up for it, I usually have great Wednesdays. At the moment, I was being forced to revise my opinion on Wednesdays and put them below Tuesdays but above Mondays. I had begun my cycle and was on dragon back. I was thoroughly miserable.

These thoughts and others swirled around my head as I leaned my forehead against Eragon's back and cursed the fact that I was a girl and that bleeding for five days straight was considered _normal. _All I wanted to do was sleep but couldn't on dragon back.

I drifted into a hazy state where I was aware of things but everything seemed muted and unimportant. Seemingly of their own accord my arms tightened around his waist as Saphira angled into a dive. We were soon on the ground and I slid down with my bag in my hand. We had the routine down by now and I wandered off to take care of things. I returned soon enough and ate a little before once again climbing onto her back and we were once again in the air.

My eyes drifted shut as the air rushing past faded into the background. I must have dozed off at some point because Eragon had to wake me.

Time was fluid and I couldn't say how long it took us to get there but quite suddenly, we were there. My legs felt unsteady after so much time spent in a saddle but it did felt good to walk again. I shifted uneasily under the forest canopy and moved closer to Saphira, going so far as to lay one hand on her side. I received a reassuring smile from Eragon in response.

"You're with me, you'll be fine."

"Yeah well, I'm well aware of the Elves' opinion on humans."

He shot me a sideways look.

"I was human when I first arrived here."

I snorted. "A human _Dragon Rider._"

I heard a heavy exhale of breath that was almost a chuckle before he replied. "I'll protect you from the big bad Elves, promise."

I turned my head to look at him and noticed that he was fighting a grin.

"My hero." I said with one arched eyebrow before turning to pay attention to the path in front of me.

It was these kinds of interactions that made me realize for all the power and responsibilities Eragon had, he was still a person.

_Besides, _added Saphira. _They wouldn't dare attack you with me around and if they did I would rip them to pieces._

"That's very sweet of you, I really appreciate it." I patted her side.

My head tilted to the side as I wondered aloud, "A dragon protecting a human who is not their Rider or related to their Rider, we must be making history!"

If Saphira was human, she would have rolled her eyes. _Hardly, Raisa._

* * *

I was slightly in shock. It was one thing to read about Elven cities and have mostly civil conversations with Elven spell castors, but to actually be in Ellesméra was something else entirely. First, they lived in tree houses. Tree houses! I lived in a mostly desert climate so to actually have enough trees that were big enough to live in was mind blowing.

What had most excited me was the bath. That was the first thing I had done after being shown to where I was to stay. The water was even hot!

I submerged my head in the water and looked up at the ceiling from under the surface. I could only fight the urge to breathe for so long before I had to resurface. After I did so I began to wash my hair to get out all of the bits and pieces of the forest I had managed to bring with me. That was one thing to be said for living in a desert. Sure I would get dusty, but I didn't have to deal with leaves and twigs catching on my clothing and hair and plants that could give me a rash, or worse, from just coming into contact with them.

I dunked my head under the water to rinse and wondered what this mysterious oath of secrecy that I had to swear tomorrow was about. From the way Saphira practically vibrated in excitement, I assumed that it was going to reveal something big, whatever it was.

Of course, I would also be spending practically all of my time with Eragon to 'observe' his training which felt _different _to me somehow. Maybe it was because we could actually hold conversations now without having to shout to be heard over the wind. We hadn't spoken mind to mind despite how often I conversed with Saphira. If we were to do that with him it would feel…intimate somehow in a way that it didn't with her.

Firmly shaking off those thoughts, I resolved to enjoy my stay here as the first all human visitor in who knows how long.

**A/N I swear I have a reason for taking so long to update and the reason is that I have been spending my time working on an original fantasy/romance story on fictionpress under the pen name 'Rose Evans'. There is a link on my profile to it and I would love for some feedback.**

**A thank you to**: **CaptainBeer, Vivi-ntvg, Cathika'sBlushingOreos, just a fan, SareerMalfoy, and Skittles-Obsessed-Wolf-Girl for leaving a review, keep them coming! So I have devolved a romance or 'fluffiness' scale that I would like your opinion on.**

**0-Why is there romance?! That's so lame!**

**1-I don't care if there is romance or not…**

**2-I want a really slow building romance, like nothing until at least chapter twenty.**

**3-I like the pace you have now and want some romance in the next couple of chapters.**

**4-Could you please hurry it up a little?**

**5-I want romance now! **


	8. Chapter 8

Well, I was not expecting that. I'm not really sure what I was expecting but it certainly wasn't another living Dragon Rider.

I stared blankly down at my hands while I attempted to process all of the new information I had received, and its implications. A huff of breath left me. My eyes closed in annoyance as I twisted my bracelet around my wrist and considered my options. I couldn't directly tell Nasuada—the oath I had taken prevented that—but I could hint at it if I was clever enough. Of course, I could just not bother to hint at it and submit a report and leave it to her to fill in the blanks. That option felt like a betrayal of my assignment.

I fell back against the bed I had been given and decided to not worry about what I was going to do until we were on our way back to the Varden, there was no sense in making myself sick with worry while I was in an Elven city, the first non-Dragon Rider to step foot in the city in who knows how long.

With that resolution in mind I thought I would fall asleep quickly.

I was proved wrong.

It was one of those nights where I felt mentally exhausted and wanted nothing more than to stop thinking for a while. As the night dragged on my frustration grew to the point where I was muttering angrily down at a scroll while wrapped up in a blanket, having given up on sleep a few hours past midnight.

The hour rolled around when I was supposed to meet Eragon and Saphira and I was seriously contemplating bringing the blanket with me after I stepped outside my door and retreated back inside from the bite of the morning air. Ultimately I decided to leave the blanket behind and braved the morning air.

I was still shivering while I watched Oromis train Eragon and found myself inching closer to Saphira and the heat she radiated. Glaedr was teaching her something about dragon lore, or at least that was what I had been told. At this point I did not care, I just wanted to be warmer so I could think. I gave up trying to be subtle about edging closer to Saphira when a gust of cold wind blew through. I got to my feet and walked with dignity and poise to Saphira's side before sitting down and spreading my skirts neatly around me. She shifted so her wing was partially covering me. Now I could listen and write without being distracted.

* * *

"So, you get cold easily?"

I turned to see Eragon sitting next to me. When had he sat down? The last time I had looked up he was at least fifteen feet away.

"Yeah."

His gaze slowly wandered over the clothing I was wearing before meeting my eyes.

"Perhaps you should dress warmer."

"I would have to have warmer clothes to do that, I've lived in a desert my entire life. I never exactly needed them."

He smiled and leaned further back against Saphira.

"I grew up next to a forest, this feels a bit like home."

"Lucky you." I stared at my surroundings before I shook my head. "I have never seen so much green in my life, and so many animals." My nose wrinkled in distaste. "Or so many bugs."

That startled a laugh out of him.

"Not your favorite place then?"

"It's beautiful, but it's not my kind of beauty. I much prefer desert sands to endless trees and bird calls."

"Most would say the opposite."

"Not for those who were born in the desert."

"Maybe, Saphira prefers the desert too."

"I knew there was a reason I liked her."

A sound that sounded suspiciously like a laugh rumbled against my back.

_Yes, my love of the desert heat is what won you over. I seem to recall being asked an endless list of questions ranging from the logically well thought out to the truly ridiculous. _

"They were all asked in the spirit of scientific inquiry, and to settle a bet."

"Oh yes, how could I forget? You first talked to Saphira because of a _bet_."

"You say it like it's a bad thing. I could have had much worse motives for talking to the only dragon in the camp."

He grinned and stood up, offering me his hand. I took it and he pulled me up with ease, one hand lightly resting on my waist to steady me before it dropped back to his side.

"Oromis says lunch is ready."

"Something vegetarian?"

"You are in Ellesméra, what did you expect?"

"Knowing something from books and experiencing it firsthand are entirely different things." I smoothed my skirts and followed him back to where some sort of edible food was waiting, noticing as I did so that his hand had curled up into a fist.

** A/N I am so sorry that this chapter took so long. It was a series of unfortunate events that led to its delay. I had this chapter halfway written like the first week of December and then my computer crashed right before finals week. So I had to wait before I went home for Christmas to get my computer fixed and then my sister's router for her Wi-Fi died so I had no way to upload a chapter. And then I went back to school for a new semester and just now found the time to rewrite the entire chapter. It's a bit shorter but I wanted to give you guys a chapter because you have been waiting for so long. Thank you so much for your reviews, they mean so much to me, please keep them coming. **

**A big thank you to: Claret Tho, KHandFF7fanforever, SoraLover987142, LionsWing, HardyxLover, Skittles-Obsessed-Wolf-Girl, Vivi-ntvg, green angel01, Guest, Farreign, Samthevariablex, Guest, and I-saw-it-first. Look guys, a super long conversation between Eragon and Raisa! I do listen to your feedback. I promise. Oh, and if anyone could recommend some good Eragon/OC fics it would be greatly appreciated.**


	9. Chapter 9

I blame Saphira.

I wasn't even supposed to be here, strictly speaking. I wasn't exactly forbidden from being here, but it was implied. Try explaining the nuances of that kind of conversation to a dragon. It's about as useless as staring at a rock and willing it to grow fruit.

I was standing on top of a mountain with broken rocks and pieces of egg shells strewn across the ground. The dragon hatching grounds. To understand preciously how I came to be standing on top of a mountain I need to back up a few hours.

I have an innate curiosity for everything and anything that catches my interest; this inquisitiveness was encouraged by both my father and mother.

Those interests have included: assorted myths from different cultures and how they have shaped the social identity of their people, the rise and fall of civilizations, and of course the influence of magic on politics and war. This interest naturally led to me reading everything I could get my hands on about Dragon Riders and their effect on Alagaesia and the consequences of their fall. Any interest I took in politics was enthusiastically supported by my father because I am set to inherit his estate because of his lack of a male heir.

I never thought that I would actually be able to meet a dragon, let alone become friends with one. So of course I shamelessly took advantage of that and asked endless questions. Saphira, after getting tired of my persistence for her to describe the hatching grounds and my insatiable curiosity, informed me that she would be taking me there if only to stop my infernal questioning, apparently she got enough of that from Eragon.

That is when I remembered that I had been warned (vaguely, I could never get a completely straight answer from an elf) to 'respect the customs of their people' and that basically, there were some places that I was simply not welcome.

I explained this all to Saphira in great detail. She simply decided to ignore me.

Joy.

So that is how I came to find myself on dragon back, alone. Eragon had more training with Oromis so he couldn't come with us. It was a different experience flying alone. Excepting for that one time that Saphira had gotten excited and taken off with me on her back, I had always flown with Eragon.

It was exhilarating and terrifying all at once and I was quite proud that I had kept myself from screaming and that my brief bouts of dizziness were not too debilitating. If my fingers were numb from gripping one of Saphira's spikes too tightly, well at least that was the only outward sign of my not quite irrational fear of falling. All of this was forgotten when we finally arrived. I managed to dismount without falling which I counted as a win, without assistance it was spectacularly graceless but it worked.

The place was desolate, but I could practically feel the history that emanated from the rock.

I gathered the heavy folds of my dress in one hand so I could better see where I was putting my feet. Saphira was quietly watching as I picked my way through rocks to get closer to the broken egg shells.

I crouched low to the ground and picked up a violet fragment of egg that was roughly the length of my palm and oblong in shape. It was gorgeous, with faint gold streaks if held up just right to the sun. I ran my thumb over the smooth surface and continued to walk through the area. I could understand why Saphira had gotten tired of trying to explain what the place looked like. And maybe, perhaps, I thought with a glance back at her, it reminded her too much of what her race had lost and the utter loneliness of being the last female dragon.

I wandered back to her, made to climb back up and then remembered the egg shell I still held in my hand.

_Keep it, it is much prettier than those river rocks you favor and seems to have the same soothing effect._

_Are you sure? Isn't that like desecration?_

_Hardly. _

_Well, okay then._

* * *

I admit I was sulking, just a tad. A personal conversation with the queen of the Elves who was disapproving of your actions tended to do that to a person. I felt like a naughty child that had got caught stealing a treat from the kitchens. The feeling was not enjoyable, hence the sulking.

I wasn't quite in trouble because Saphira had willingly taken me and the way they acted around her was slightly ridiculous and fed her ego, but in this case it worked in my favor. I was left with the distinct impression that the queen did not think highly of humans. Not willing to cause a diplomatic incident and try to combat thousands of years of prejudice, I bit my tongue and apologized for overstepping my bounds.

I had found a little stream near my tree house and was sitting by it and scribbling away in my book. The sun was beginning its decline and I was starting to get cold. Mentally weighing the benefits of actually getting up and moving when I was in a mood and felt no such inclination of going anywhere, or staying put and getting progressively colder, I was at a loss. The decision was still unmade when someone plopped down beside me and threw a cloak over my shoulders. Well then, decision made, I was staying put.

I turned to see Eragon watching me.

"Thank you." I absentmindedly noted that the clock was a bright blue and far different than the green and brown I was used to seeing.

"I meant to give it to you this morning but you disappeared before I could."

"I went to see the hatching grounds and then got in trouble for going. The queen is _scary_."

He laughed. "She can be intimidating."

I fingered the edges of the cloak and wondered why in the world it was blue.

He noticed the motion and correctly guessing the directions of my thoughts (he was getting scarily good at that, side effect of being a Dragon Rider? Ability to read intentions, must look into that later…) answered me.

"I know you prefer brighter colors and it's not like you need a drab color for stealth. Or at least, I should hope not." He was grinning and looking more at ease than I was used to seeing.

"My talent for spying is about the same as my weapons skills, which is negligible."

"You seemed to be holding your own against those men when I met you."

"I was lucky they were drunk. If they hadn't been, that night would have gone quite differently."

"Somehow I don't think you would have gone down that easily, you're much too stubborn to go quietly."

"Stubborn? My Governess preferred the word 'obstinate'."

I laid down my quill and stretched out the fingers of my right hand, the much dreaded writing cramp had set in. Eragon followed the motion of my ink stained hand before his eyes dropped down to my book.

"What are you writing?"

"Observations mostly, for Nasuada. That is what I'm here for after all. To be her eyes and ears." My gaze traced the slightly smudged letters crammed onto the surface of the page and the hastily sketched diagrams.

"You must love having all of this knowledge available to you here." He settled himself more comfortably on the stream bank.

"Oh yes! My family's library is extensive but it is nothing compared to what I have able to find here. There's not enough hours in the day to read everything I want to."

"Maybe you'll get to come back someday, when the war is over," he said simply.

I shrugged. "I would love to but I doubt I'll ever get the chance."

"You never know."

"Maybe."

**A/N Look at that, an update less than a week since the last one, and it's longer! A thank you to: Claret Tho and Vivi-ntvg for leaving a review. So chapter seven got thirteen reviews and chapter eight only got two? Color me confused. Please review! A big thank you to all those who have followed and favorited this story.**

**Next chapter: a conversation about fate and destiny.**


	10. Chapter 10

I was suspicious.

Granted, feeling suspicious when dealing with politics is not an unusual feeling but I was pretty sure that it had nothing to do with politics. However, I had been wrong before. Considering that my suspicious feeling was centered on the fact that I knew Saphira knew something, coming straight out and asking her was probably the best option. I bided my time and waited until training was over for the day and Saphira was going to hunt.

_Can I go with you? I'm heartily sick of not being able to eat meat._

_You know how to hunt?_

_Well no…but I know how to cook meat._

One giant eye swung in my direction.

_You want me to hunt for you?_

_Imagine if you were only able to eat fruit and vegetables along with other non-meat foods, what would you do?_ I attempted to inject as much pleading into my voice as possible.

_I would never be in such a position, I am a dragon._

Now she was just being difficult.

_Please!_

_Fine, Raisa._

There may have been some excited jumping around on my part and what passed for an eye roll on a dragon, before we set off. The hood of my new cloak was pulled low over my eyes and I was practically lying flat on her back to avoid the wind. It was then that I had the brief thought that at least Eragon usually blocked the worst of the wind and radiated body heat.

* * *

Saphira was grumbling at the indignity of a dragon catching a rabbit while I patiently waited for the meat to finish cooking. It wasn't quite full dark when I decided to ask her what was going on with Eragon, but coming right out and asking now seemed like a not so good idea. So, I decided to ease her into the conversation I want to have. Me being me I jumped on to the first semi-plausible topic that came to mind.

_I've been reading about the belief systems of the indigenous people of the desert, they say that each star is a guardian of a specific person's fate and that their destiny is literally written in the heavens. Do dragons believe something similar? That fate can't be changed?_

I was idly drawing the shape of a star in the dirt while I spoke.

_We believe for the most part that we make our own destiny, but there are some of other races with a way to…see into the future._

_Seers? And are there prophecies always right? In many of the stories I've found the prophecy is more than a little ambiguous._

She shifted and I got the sense that she was uneasy with the direction that this conversation was going.

_What do you believe?_

_That blaming the bad things that happen in your life on the gods or destiny is just a way to make a person feel better, that it was not really their fault because it was decreed from the beginning. _

_And what about prophecies? _

_There is always more than one way to interpret them. Most people make them come true because they do everything they can to avoid the outcome. People should take responsibility for their own life, both the good and bad parts._

_So you don't believe in seers?_

_Maybe they can see potential outcomes and pick the one that seems the most likely, maybe they really can see the future. Regardless, I wouldn't want to know mine. I want my actions to be based on my decisions, not governed by a prophecy hanging over me._

_Not all feel as you do._

She was pensive and I got the feeling that she was keeping something from me. Tired of trying to ease into a conversation with a dragon, and knowing she preferred straight forwardness, I gathered my courage.

_Eragon has been acting strange ever since I mentioned my role in court. I thought we were becoming friends, but now he is acting standoffish. I know you know what is bothering him._

_He forgot you are nobility._

_Why should that matter to him? He's a Dragon Rider who has even more prestige than me. We are not so separated by rank as he seems to think._

_That is not what troubles him._

_What does?_

_I cannot tell you._

_Right, secret rider-dragon stuff. I'm going to have to talk to him then, otherwise things will just get more and more awkward._

_I wish you luck in that._

_Thanks, I have the feeling I am going to need it._

I still don't know what I am going to say to him, but at least dinner was delicious.

* * *

In all my plotting to get Eragon alone so I could talk to him, I forgot one very important thing. Tomorrow was a Tuesday. Tuesdays and me do not get along. I was blissfully unaware of this until I woke up the next morning and checked my book and noticed the date. Monday. Yesterday was a Monday which meant that today was a Tuesday. I panicked, just a little.

Thoughts were running through my head at a rapid rate as I got ready for the day.

I managed to get ahold of myself and calm down. After a few deep breaths, I twisted my hair up and wrapped a red ribbon around it. I was ready. It would be a little hypocritical of me to make that speech about my fate not being written in the stars and then be superstitious about a day of the week. That's what I told myself anyway. Besides, Saphira would never let me live it down if she found out.

"What do you mean they can't help it? I understand that this plays a big part in their culture but saying that they can't help it is ridiculous."

My arms were folded tightly across my chest as I stared down at the soup in front of me.

"Raisa, the Urgals' entire way of life is based on combat. It is how they choose their mates and how they choose their leaders. They cannot fundamentally change who they are no more than you could sprout wings and fly to the sun."

He was looking at me with an almost sad expression. Eragon was quiet.

"Oromis, cultures change throughout the centuries. They have to adapt, or else they die out. Look at the human race, look at what the ability to read and write did for our cultural progression."

"And warfare is still a large part of your history."

"But we do not require that our prospective mate have defeated or killed a certain number of people in combat before we will consider them."

"Then what do you suggest they do?"

"War games. If they don't use weapons that could do any real damage, that would allow them to showcase their skills without going raiding on villages."

"It could work, maybe. Though you are still asking an entire people to change a fundamental part of their culture."

"It has been done before."

"You have a rather positive attitude about the world compared to most who have studied as much history as you have."

"I believe that society is fundamentally good and that it is the choices of an individual member of their race that makes them bad."

I turned to Eragon. "You haven't said anything, what do you believe."

He stirred and a brief look of discomfort flashed across his face.

"I think that you both have valid points, but it is moot anyway, we can't force a race to change."

I snorted. "What do you think including humans in the Dragon Rider bond did? It revolutionized our culture. That may not have been the intention, but that's what happened."

Oromis looked at me with an appraising stare. "You have an intriguing mind young one, I would be quite interested to see what new ideas you have developed in a few decades."

I could feel the weight of Eragon's eyes on me as I finished my soup.

I was distracted for the rest of the day. Saphira was off with Glaedr learning aerial combat techniques and Oromis was instructing Eragon in the Ancient Language. I could understand most of what they said but my notes were erratic and small doodles were scribbled in the margins. I was putting forth a valiant effort to think of a way to bring up Eragon's standoffish behavior and be able to discuss it with him without it feeling like I was ambushing him.

So far I had:

1\. Ask him if anything was wrong, refuse to let him use his elf-like vagueness to stop the conversation and redirect it back to me. (Note, where has he learned this surprising politician behavior?)

2\. Ramble about the creation of a more stratified society and casually ask if he has a problem with nobility.

3\. Ask for his help in translating a scroll that just so happens to describe the crowning of the first human king in Alagaesia, ask for his opinion on this practice, then ask why he has avoided talking to me whenever possible.

4\. Use my feminine wiles to make myself cry and ask him why he has been treating me differently.

5\. Pretend to be a damsel in distress in need of rescuing, ask why he has been acting odd lately.

6\. Wallow in the pit of despair because *gasp* the horror! Someone doesn't seem to like me, oh no!

I was currently at number nine (take his clothes ransom until he answers why he was always _looking_ at me but never saying anything…) when I heard someone clear their throat. I may have been the tiniest bit startled and I may have let out a shriek of surprise, but this is all hearsay of course.

I looked up at Eragon who was watching me with a carefully neutral expression. I patiently waited for him to say something. He didn't, he just kept staring at me. My fingers tightened around my book as I stared right back. I was not going to be the first one to break the silence. Our stare down was broken by Saphira landing close enough next to us that the wind blew the skirt of my dress back. This seemed to shake Eragon out of his silence.

"Saphira told me the two of you talked."

"Yes."

"And that I should explain my behavior to you."

"Yes, that would be great, and they say it's always females that overcomplicate things," I muttered grumpily.

That managed to tug a fleeting smile out of him.

My last thought was, so much for my list.

**A/N Look, another update, and it's longer! Just a reminder, events are happening out of order or new ones are being added in so this is I suppose, an AU. A thank you to: Claret Tho, Dead-grace, , Vivi-ntvg, green angel01, Guest, Guest, Phoenix-Magic, and TheBloodyMadQueen for leaving a review. I do read all of them and them and they make my day. To answer Guest's question (the second one who reviewed) no, there will not be smut in this story. A big thank you to all those who have followed/favorited this story. **


	11. Chapter 11

I stared at him, he stared back at me. My foot was tracing a half circle in the dirt and my hands were folded demurely in my lap.

"I forgot you were nobility." He began abruptly.

I eyed him strangely. "What does that have to do with anything?"

He ignored my question. "I forgot you were nobility and human and I became your friend. I forgot that you will grow old and die while I remain eternally young."

"Sounds lonely," I commented.

"Yes, it does." His eyes roved restlessly across the landscape. "I told myself that I wouldn't care about any more humans and then you came along with your endless questions and befriended Saphira. Because she cared I began to care before I even met you."

He turned to look directly at me. "And then I met you and that caring deepened. Before I quite knew what was happening there was one more person whose inevitable death I was going to mourn. Then I was reminded that you are a Noble."

I gave him approximately six seconds to explain why he kept going back to me being Noble before I asked him again.

"Why does it matter that I am nobility? You keep saying it like it means something." My hands fisted on the fabric of my skirt.

"Because it does, Raisa."

"Well, what does it mean?"

"There is a prophecy about me and a Noble."

He seemed reluctant to continue.

I frowned. "Am I supposed to stab you in the back or something?"

He laughed. "No, nothing like that." His gaze lazily swept the length of my body. "Perhaps it would be simpler if it was. Everything seemed simpler before you. I thought I knew what my future would hold. Now I'm not so sure."

If I ever found the person responsible for teaching Eragon how to talk in riddles I was going to strangle them after ranting to them about all the trouble and confusion it had caused me.

"Are you ever going to tell me what you mean?"

"Probably."

"Do you happen to know when?"

"I want to show you something, maybe it will stop your mutterings about how nothing good comes from forests."

I eyed the hand he held out to me with trepidation and looked at him accusingly.

"It's not anymore trees, I promise."

There was laughter in his eyes, no doubt remembering my completely unimpressed expression when a friendly elf had shown me the Menoa Tree. Sure, the story behind it was interesting, but it was still a tree.

So being the trusting easy-going person I am I allowed him to help me up. The path he led me on twisted through too many trees that looked alike for me to have any chance at finding my back on my own. Eventually we came to a field filled with flowers that I had never seen before in my studies. They were colorful and seemed to defy nature's rules.

I love colorful things.

Without a second thought I rushed closer to the flowers and began to examine them carefully.

"They are unique to this field. Several elves created special blooms as a challenge."

"They're so pretty!"

"I thought you would like them."

"It's so much better than trees," I said delighted.

I looked at the flowers again and there was a brief moment when I thought, I really shouldn't, it's completely childish. And then I decided that I did not care.

I began plucking the flowers to make a crown. My mother and I had done this when I was young, there was a greenhouse on our estate that was maintained by magic.

I was clumsy at first until my fingers seemed to remember. Several minutes later I triumphantly held up a flower crown before placing it on my head.

I turned to see Eragon eyeing me with amusement but he made no comment.

I kicked off my shoes and stood up on bare feet. It had been a long time since I had been able to walk around without shoes on, not since I had left my family's estate. I grinned and picked my way through the field of flowers, not particularly caring where I was going.

Still feeling the spirit of childhood hovering over me, I spun around in big circles until I became too dizzy to keep going. I staggered before giving up on remaining vertical and collapsed in a heap on the ground. Before I knew it I was giggling. The more I tried to stop the harder they came until I had to stop so I could breathe.

When I finally got a hold of myself I looked up to see Eragon looking at me with an undecipherable expression.

"What?"

A teasing smile lit his face. "You don't look particularly lady like."

I rolled my eyes but smiled. "I could make you a flower crown and then we would match!"

"I'll pass."

"You're missing out."

"Somehow, I think I'll live."

* * *

I was quietly enjoying some chocolate and idly wondering if Issy had fixed the problem with the fuses when a large blue eye appeared outside my window and stared at me. I stared right back. Saphira gave a slow blink. I looked down mournfully at the rest of my chocolate before reluctantly wrapping it back up.

Grumbling to myself about the whims of dragons, I grabbed my cloak and stepped outside. Once again I found myself on dragon back with Saphira refusing to tell me where she was taking me.

Dragons, honestly.

I was humming to myself to help keep my mind off the cold wind and wondering why the gods had not seen fit to bless me with a pretty singing voice; when Saphira decided that we had arrived, wherever that was.

I slipped off her back and immediately huddled against her side and darted under one of her wings.

_I wanted to talk to you._

_And you couldn't have done that where we were?_

_This is better._

_If you say so._

_I wanted to talk to you about Eragon._

_What about him?_

_He talked to you about why he was treating you differently._

_Yes, but you already knew that._

_I'm glad he did, you were sulking._

_I was not._

_Yes you were._

_Fine, maybe I was. Your point?_

_Why were you sulking?_

_Seriously? This is why you drug me out into the bitter cold?_

_The cold is hardly bitter. _She shifted so her wing covered me more fully. _You wouldn't survive a winter in Carvahall._

_How is that relevant?_

_Why were you sulking? _She retorted.

_Because I had gotten used to talking to him. He listens to me when I ramble on and actually seems interested…it's nice. Plus he thinks I'm funny, which is a great ego boost._

She metaphorically pounced on that last tidbit. _Exactly, he hasn't been this cheerful in a long time. You make him laugh which he needs and you are smart and can be serious when needed._

I eyed the scales I could see with suspicion. _What are you getting at?_

_Do you find him pleasing?_

_Huh?_

_Attractive?_

_Well yes, I've never denied that._

_Good, then the two of you should mate._

I sputtered. _It doesn't exactly work like that for humans._

_Why not? It seems far more sensible. Besides, he finds you attractive too._

That momentarily distracted me. _He does?_ What girl doesn't like being told she's pretty?

_He does._

Then a truly horrifying thought occurred to me. _He's not listening, is he?_

_No._

_Oh good. _

_Besides your protest that it doesn't work like that normally for your race, why won't you mate with him?_

_My parents married for love, I want to do the same._

_So you are not outright objecting to him?_

_I guess not…?_

_Hmm, I can work with that._

_Saphira!_

She made that odd rumbling sound that I associated with her laughter.

Once a dragon sets their mind on something, it is very rare that what they want does not happen.

If nothing else the next few weeks would prove interesting.

Sometimes I hate being an optimist.

**A/N Hello! This chapter did not want to be written. I knew what I wanted to happen but getting the right words was like trying to take away a baby's blanket. Thank you to those who left a review: ****Claret Tho, mintypops, Phoenix-Magic, Samthevariablex, Dead-Grace, SnowLeopard1993, Vivi-ntvg, and Farreign. Keep them coming!**

**Question: Is it bothering anyone that I haven't given much physical description about Raisa? I have a picture of what she looks like in my head if anyone is interested in me posting the link on my profile.**


	12. Chapter 12

Attempting to act as if nothing was different was impossible. Trying to not think about my conversation with Saphira was equally impossible. It's like when someone tells you not to think about horses and all you can think about is horses.

Needless to say I was touchy for the next few days. It didn't help things that Saphira would look at me all smug and then pointedly look in Eragon's direction.

I knew that he had to know what she was plotting, but he didn't say anything about it. He just continued to look at me with a mix of thoughtfulness and what I can only term as consideration.

All of these things had caused me to retreat inward to consider my feelings.

I considered Eragon a friend. I looked forward to our conversations, he was one of the few people who actually listened to what I was saying and I could have discussions with him beyond the war, Saphira, and what the weather was like. He saw me, beyond the scholarly Noble lady with a tendency to ramble on. I had already admitted that I found him physically attractive, but did it go deeper than that?

Maybe.

I was certainly looking at him differently.

* * *

Saphira was going to be the death of me. If it was possible to die from embarrassment, I would have been dead at least a dozen times by now.

Saphira is a dragon, dragons don't do subtle.

She had made it no secret that she would very much like for Eragon and me to be a couple. I suppose I was lucky that she didn't do it when we were around other people. She would make comments to Eragon about me, mentioning my intelligence, sense of humor, and curiosity. A curiosity that apparently was much like his own, except I managed to stay out of trouble for the most part.

Those types of comments I can handle.

It was when she mentioned some of my more ahem physical attributes that the embarrassment hit full force. Then she would turn it around and make comments about Eragon to me.

I pretended that I couldn't hear them. Not the best coping strategy and it would probably blow up in my face but hey, it was working.

There were many reasons why I was insanely glad that we would be leaving the next day. Of course when I thought about it for longer than a minute, I realized that I would be alone with Eragon…until we made it back to the Varden. Saphira didn't count because she would no doubt take full advantage of the fact that I had nowhere to hide.

Speaking of hiding, this whole introspective thing was taking place under the shelter of Glaedr's wing. He had been amused and allowed me to hide from Saphira.

Honestly, I probably could have come out by now. She was with Eragon helping him forge his new sword. I had stayed for a few minutes in the beginning but had ultimately decided that for the sake of my sanity I really needed to be somewhere else. Nasuada really didn't need to know the details about how Eragon's sword came to be anyway.

I felt a slight pressure in my mind, and recognizing that Glaedr wanted to speak to me, I lowered my mental shields enough that he could. It was more of a courtesy than anything, he could break my shields if he wanted to.

_Hello _I said.

_Are you planning on spending the rest of the day hiding?_

_Possibly._

_Saphira seems determined. _

_Yes._

_Young one, are you sure that you wish to hide? I know that you care for each other._

_Who?_

_You and Eragon, it is easy to see._

_Of course we do, we're friends._

_A friend does not look at you the way he does._

Did Saphira and Glaedr form a pact to try to get Eragon and me together? Because this was getting a little ridiculous. I wasn't even aware that dragons paid attention to those kind of things.

_I'm not sure of my feelings._

_Perhaps it is not what you feel or don't feel that has you confused, but what you think._

That one statement led me to poring my heart out to a dragon that I barely knew and probably didn't know how to handle all of the feelings and thoughts that burst out of me. I'm sure some of them didn't make sense but I'm a girl, it's our prerogative to not make sense sometime. In the back of my mind I realized that what I was saying had to be true because we were speaking in the Ancient Language.

_He's immortal, I'm not. I will die in less than a century and it seems cruel to even try to make something work when I will die and age long before him. I'm afraid that if by some miracle it does work out that we will grow to resent each other. For all he was born human he is half-elf now and historically those kinds of relationships do not end well. I don't want us to become some tragic story told as entertainment. That road leads to heartbreak. Right now I can get out of this with my heart mostly intact._

_Dragons do not love like those of your race, but we understand happiness and regret. From what I have observed you are happiest when around Eragon. You will regret not trying and that regret and uncertainty will eat you alive. It is best to know, no matter the outcome._

A dragon giving relationship advice; it was a strange world I lived in.

* * *

"You named your sword _Brisingr_? Out of all the things in the world you named it fire? Remind me to tell whoever you marry not to let you name your children."

There was an awkward silence as the last part of my sentence sunk in.

"I named Saphira."

"After another dragon."

"I still picked her name."

"I'm sure she helped."

He gave me a look and then changed the subject.

I folded the rest of my clothes carefully into my bag and made sure my hair ribbons were tied neatly. Untangling them is a pain that I like to avoid at all costs.

For all my grumblings about being surrounded by a forest, I would miss the place.

The privacy was something that I greatly appreciated. Sharing a tent with my sister when I was used to a whole suite of rooms to myself had been an adjustment. Going without luxuries that I had taken for granted had also been an adjustment.

But I can now say that I can survive camping, with assistance.

My hands stilled as another thought occurred to me. I would have my arms wrapped around Eragon for the foreseeable future.

And I had just sort of kind of admitted that I did have feelings for him.

And I thought things couldn't get more awkward.

The gods just love proving me wrong.

**A/N A big thank you to all those who left a review:** **Vivi-ntvg, Phoenix-Magic, TheBloodyMadQueen, ShadowManipulator7, Samthevariablex, Claret Tho, DokuMidori**

**There is a link to a picture of Raisa on my profile now if you so desire to see it. There are more golden flecks in her eyes than are shown but other than that it is pretty close to how I see her. This chapter is shorter but I wanted to get it out for you to read since I have midterms all next week… **

**I really do love that you see Raisa as an interesting character and not a mary-sue. As for the interaction with Glaedr, well this is fanfiction.**

**When you leave a review, I would love for you to say what country you are from.**


	13. Chapter 13

It hadn't been as awkward as I feared it would be.

Being alone had forced us to talk to each other and it was hard to be shy when I had my arms around his waist and was huddled against his back to stay out of the wind. Saphira was surprisingly silent on the subject of Eragon and me together. Suspicious, but not wanting to examine it too closely, I decided not to look a gift horse in the mouth.

Tentatively, we began to speak to each other mind to mind. The noise of the wind made it impossible to talk the normal way. He was surprisingly knowledgeable about Elven mythology and was happy to talk about that among other subjects.

Saphira stayed mysteriously quiet.

We had stopped for the night and I had won the battle of taking a bath in the nearby stream (his argument that it was dangerous for me to be alone had been shot down by the fact that I could either scream or call through Saphira for help, both of which they would easily hear) and I was enjoying the fact that I was able to bathe, though leaving the Elven city had meant leaving behind hot water.

It would have been better if the water wasn't cold, but beggars can't be choosers.

I was humming under my breath some song I only remembered the tune of and a handful of words, when I slipped. I maintain that if it had been daylight I would not have slipped because I would have seen where I was going.

I didn't scream or anything like that (though a tiny squeak may have escaped my lips), but in my effort to find my footing my other foot slammed down on a jagged rock and cut the bottom of my foot. I then promptly fell over.

I'm pretty sure that the cold water numbed the pain which is why it took me a minute to realize that it stung.

So there I was on my hands and knees wondering why it was that I had to be naked when I injured myself, and that the injury had to be on the bottom of my foot preventing me from calmly walking over to our campsite.

Deciding that staying on my hands and knees in the water wasn't doing me any favors, I crawled over to the stream bank and began to dry myself off, still kneeling. This was working out pretty well until I made the mistake of taking my left foot out of the water to balance on my uninjured right one, and the full force of the stinging pain hit me. I promptly placed my foot back in the water, letting it hover over the stream bed.

I was also pretty sure that it was bleeding and that the running water was whisking the blood away before it had a chance to well up.

I managed to get the rest of my clothes on.

My skirts were bunched up in one hand and I was looking at the fire that I could see through the trees, it had seemed close before, but now seemed extremely far away.

Deciding that waiting was only prolonging the inevitable, I gingerly took a step out of the water and made sure to keep my weight on the ball of my foot. It stung as expected and walking was difficult, but I managed.

Of course, I only made it about halfway back when I heard a growl and the sudden presence of Saphira in my mind. I had rarely heard her so…incensed.

_I smell blood. _I could hear her through the trees, getting closer rapidly.

_No one hurt me, I lost my balance and cut my foot on a rock._

The movements in the forest stopped.

_Do you need help? _

_That would be greatly appreciated. _

So I stood there with my left foot raised an inch or so above the ground feeling vaguely grateful that I had figured out a way to get my clothes on without getting them soaking wet.

I didn't hear him coming, he was just there when I glanced up.

It was hard to gauge his expression and he didn't say anything to me.

His arm wrapped around my waist and my arm wrapped around his in reflex.

I thought he was simply going to help me walk this way. There was a pause where he seemed frozen and then his other arm wrapped around the crook of my knees and I was in his arms.

"This is easier."

That was all he said to me as he carried me back.

I briefly weighed the pros and cons of protesting this action before deciding that it would take way too much effort and we would be back at camp before I could convince him anyway.

Besides, it was kind of nice to have him carry me this way, it seemed like something straight out of a romantic ballad. Yes I actually read and enjoy them, the ones with happy endings though. Nothing is worse than investing so much time and emotion into characters and then having them die moments from being reunited with their lover.

Not that we were lovers or anything.

He gently set me down near the fire and took my injured foot in his hands.

He murmured a few lines of a spell, something about guarding against infection? Before uttering a simple 'heal'.

There was a tingling sensation as the skin of my foot knitted back together. He then took a scrap of cloth and poured some of our drinking water onto it. The next thing I knew, he was wiping the blood away. He soon finished, but his hand remained lightly wrapped around the heel of my foot. His eyes were focused on my foot as well.

His hand slipped from my foot as his eyes focused on me.

"Do you remember the prophecy I told you about?"

"The one you said I was in but refused to give me any actual information about? I remember, why?"

"My fortune was told using the knuckle bones of a dragon, I was told many things that have come true and I know what you think about prophecies, but I also know that this one is true, or will come true."

He stopped and just looked at me for a moment.

"I was also told that I would fall in love with a woman of Noble birth and that our romance would be extraordinary. Raisa, that woman is you."

I blinked. "Oh."

**A/N I just realized I never told you what country I'm from, the United States if anyone is wondering. A great big thank you to those who left a review: Samthevariablex, Claret Tho, Vivi-ntvg, green angel01, arandomperson, FOODninja-321, ShadowManipulator7, and Daktor. And of course to all those who have followed/favorited this story.**

**I have embraced the fact that for this story the chapters are just going to be shorter, but that does mean quicker updates.**

**When you leave a review please say whether you would rather have a piece of fruity candy or chocolaty candy.**


	14. Chapter 14

I wasn't quite sure what to do in this situation. He had all but admitted that he was in love with me and while I did have feelings for him, I wasn't in love with him. I did want to try to have a relationship with him despite my reservations about our differing lifespans. So, I opened my mouth to try to explain what it was that I wanted without ruining things between us.

"That is a lot to process and I'm not rejecting you or anything but I want to explore things between us without jumping straight to the end destination because you know they say that the journey is just as good as the end goal and rushing things tends to end badly for everybody and I don't want to ruin us because we're friends and I'm really good friends with Saphira and it would be really awkward if things went south."

I took a deep breath in and hoped to high heaven that Eragon would be able to understand that rather long winded response.

Apparently he had spent enough time around me to be able to pick out the important bits and decipher what I meant which was a good thing as I tended to give rambling answers when I was flustered or excited about something.

"You want us to court." There was a smile playing around the edges of his lips as he looked down to where my hands were twisting the fabric of my skirt around my fingers.

I nodded enthusiastically.

"If that got out you would be in danger."

"If we lose this war then I'm dead anyway."

My hand reached up to play with the purple eggshell I had managed to turn into a necklace as I carefully looked Eragon over.

"We don't have to have a Varden wide announcement but this seems the most sensible course of action to satisfy what we both want." I said simply.

_She's right._

"Thank you, Saphira."

My gaze was still fixed on him as I waited for some sort of response. He had gone still when I mentioned the only possible outcome if we lost. Every Noble is Surda knew what would happen if Galbatorix won. They had carefully considered the pros and cons of joining or staying neutral and throwing themselves on the king's mercy with the excuse that they were magically bound to not betray the king of Surda. Most had joined. Those who hadn't were waiting for the coming inferno to decide their fate.

I had my suspicions that some of them stayed neutral as a failsafe measure but I never went digging for more information. It was better if I didn't know.

"Raisa?"

My eyes flickered back to his, grounded once again in the here and now.

"Yes?"

"Will you allow me to Court you?" He was awfully earnest as he judged my response.

"Yes."

* * *

Things changed and they didn't. After one smug look Saphira left me alone. The silence was nice and I hadn't realized until now how on edge I had been.

I was at peace and had drifted off until my thoughts were sluggish and didn't make much sense when logic was applied to them. Issy abhorred this state between being awake and asleep, but then again she hated to dream because things made even less sense and she had no control over the direction her dreams took. I thought it was rather nice change from a rigid reality.

Eragon was more attentive to me and cataloged my responses to his actions carefully. I recognized that look in his eye and now that we were 'Courting' I saw it more and more. When I mentioned it to Saphira she had snorted. It was a dignified snort but still a snort.

_He has been doing that for far longer than you think, he has just stopped trying to hide it._

When I had asked when he had started she had outright laughed while I huffed and crossed my arms.

_Since the day the drunks accosted you. You fought back even though you weren't very good at it. You are a scholar but not someone that people can manipulate to suit their needs and not completely naïve of the world. He was intrigued by the seeming contradictions that exist within you. _

_Really? Since then? That was so long ago!_

_He wanted to be sure of his feelings._

And with that statement, she had refused to say anything more on the subject.

I was unused to Saphira's stubbornness being used against me and grumbled about it more than I should have.

Eragon had managed to distract me with stories from his travels. He mentioned someone named 'Brom' a lot and it took me longer than it should have to recognize that the Brom he spoke of was the same one who had founded the Varden. Then he mentioned that Brom was actually his father and I was distracted for the remainder of the journey.

It was rather sneaky of him.

* * *

As we approached where the camp was I felt Eragon tense. I peered out from behind the shelter of his back to see what the fuss was about. My poor human eyes were too weak to make much out but I could see the camp in the distance and the city beyond them. I squinted in the force of the wind and managed to make out that the city was under siege and it wasn't going so well for us.

Automatically I searched for the command tent. My father would be there transcribing orders and barking at people to change the amount of soldiers on the map to imitate troop movements. It was always my place when there was an attack. My father and I worked well together and were more efficient than the others.

I managed to communicate all of this to Eragon, Saphira adjusted her course.

She had to leave me at the camp anyway, I was well aware that my fighting skills were nonexistent and I had a strong desire to live and no heroic illusions about war and the Cause. I never understood those people who were so eager to jump into a fight or who glorified war as a noble and just endeavor. War is a terrible, horrendous thing and sometimes necessary, but never glorious or honorable.

It was thoughts like that one that made other nobles and bright-eyed boys shift uncomfortably and change the subject.

I understood on some level, believing in the idea of a thing was sometimes greater motivation that the reality of a thing. My father had raised me too well to believe in such comforting illusions.

Sometimes I wished I could believe.

I forced my fingers to uncurl from my sides before I entered the tent. The wind had done a number on my appearance but such things didn't matter now.

I had barely entered when parchment was thrust into my hands and a gentle tug found me standing next to my father peering over a map as a magic user hovered behind us, waiting to relay any new information or to warn others of traps.

My father's hand briefly rested on my shoulder before focusing on the battle.

He had missed me.

**A/N School kidnapped me for a while and I am taking a class to become a R.A. for the next school year. I haven't been hired yet but I am a finalist **** :) A great big thank you to those of you who reviewed: Vivi-ntvg, Mac Gustah, Samthevariablex, arandomperson, ShadowManipulator7, TamashinoSuzume, Farreign, and Edward! And for you shadow readers, thank you for taking the time to read this story.**

**I prefer chocolate candy.**

**Which Hogwarts House are you in? Let me know when you leave a review, see you (sort of) next time!  
**


	15. Chapter 15

A shade? Were they truly desperate enough to create a shade? My eyes were fixed on the parchment before I handed it off to my father, determined to banish the information from my mind. My job was to organize incoming information, not make decisions. But no matter how hard I tried there was that niggling worry perched on my shoulder that refused to go away.

Time passed in fits and starts.

When I read that the shade had been defeated by Eragon and Arya, my shoulders loosened and I reached up to briefly touch the eggshell before getting back to work. The battle wasn't over yet and even when it ended there was plenty of work left. There were still casualty lists to compile, an inventory of healing supplies to be made, and a list of the missing needed to be begun. I would be lucky if I managed to make it to my cot before sunrise.

I reached up to readjust my hair ribbon blindly while continuing to read a report of soldiers who had died in the healer's tents. It was easier for me to do this type of work. They were just a name to me, one without a story and I preferred it that way. I would have had an emotional breakdown if I thought of them as people. It was just one of the many reasons why I lacked the temperament to work in the healing tents. When the letters started to blur and the dull ache I had been ignoring turned into the pulse of a heartbeat, I pushed away from the desk and left one of the other scribes in charge. I was of no use to anyone until I ate and took a break.

As soon as I stepped out from the tent I was hit by a wave of cold. Night had fallen and the desert was chilly. I darted back inside for my cloak and wrapped it tightly around my body. I resolutely pushed back thoughts of him, I knew he lived and that was enough for now.

The walk went by quickly and I ate tucked away in a corner. Talking was too much of an effort and my demeanor scared away any who started to sit down near me.

Of course I didn't get to remain anonymous for long, the solid thud that my soup bowl made as it slid off my tray made sure of that. It was one of those things where I was aware of it happening, knew what the end result would be, but couldn't muster up the energy to stop it.

My lack of energy didn't stop me from rattling off a list of ladylike expletives (trust me, they exist) in my head. I glared murderously at the offending bowl and felt the overwhelming urge to cry. It was such a little thing but right then it felt like the emotional equivalent of a battering ram. I wasn't adverse to a good cry once in a while, but in a room full of people I didn't know? Not on your life.

My breaths were shakier than usual as I bent down to pick up the bowl. Once I stood up I purposely made my posture straight and fixed a polite yet distant smile on my face. And then like my mother had taught me all those years ago, I glided.

It was amazing how many people got out of my way.

I returned my tray and picked my way through the tents. Fires were burning and I could hear laughter as people celebrated our victory.

I could see the command tent a few yards in front of and I paused to mentally shift back into organizational mode. I pulled my hood down and made to continue but was stopped by my name being called out.

Eragon came out from the space between two tents and lightly touched my arm.

"Are you alright?" he asked, carefully looking me over.

I nodded in response. This didn't seem to reassure him and his eyes continued to trail up and down my body.

"Really, I'm not hurt. The fighting never got near me. And you? Were your injuries seen to?"

His hand slid down my arm to grasp my fingers.

"Yes, they were seen to."

A pause then, "Why would you assume I was injured? I am the Shadeslayer" There was a playful gleam in his eyes.

"From what I've heard you're not the only living one anymore."

He smiled, the firelight giving an odd cast to his face and reminding me rather forcefully that for all that he had started out life as a human, he was something _other_ now.

"And where did you hear that?"

I kept my voice light as I answered. "I read about it first, but it was all over the camp. It was all anybody seemed able to talk about. In the span of a few hours the tale has morphed into Arya slaying the shade while blinded by a spell and with gaping wounds that would have killed a human. You seem to have been reduced to the role of sidekick."

He smiled again.

I fidgeted, shifting my weight from foot to foot.

"I need to get back." I rubbed my eyes with my free hand. "I still have a lot to do."

He nodded but didn't release my hand.

"Eragon?"

His eyes when they met mine were oddly intense. "Stay safe, try to stay out of the way of any drunks."

"Just another reason why I hate alcohol, like it's my fault that they were drunk and it somehow excuses everything?" I could feel a good long rant building.

"That is not what I— I only meant to say be careful."

"I'll be sure to call for Saphira if there is any trouble."

"Not me?"

I grinned. "Somehow a fire breathing dragon makes my refusal more forceful."

"I can't imagine why." He was smiling again.

He lifted my hand and twisted it so it was palm up. Then he pressed a kiss to it.

"I'll come and see you tomorrow," he said.

Then he was gone.

I shook my head slightly to clear it from girlhood fancies and focus on what was really there. My fingers undid the ties of my cloak and I pulled it off as I stepped into the tent. A hand on my shoulder drew my attention to my father. I looked up at him to see him watching me with a bemused expression.

"I thought something had changed, but I hardly expected it to be that." His lips quirked upward into a smile.

"It was unexpected to me as well."

"I'm not surprised, you see so much when it comes to others but you are rather shortsighted when it comes to yourself. You get that from your mother you know, it took me months before she realized my feelings." As always when he spoke of my mother, love was mixed with pain.

"You could have just told her, saved yourself time."

He smiled. "I could have, but in those days it was rather frowned upon to be so forthright without some sort of understanding being reached first." He shook his head. "No, I would not change how I did things, if I had rushed right in I would never have been able to understand her as deeply if we hadn't been friends first."

"So you approve?"

"Raisa, you know your own mind. I have no worries like that when it comes to you." His expression darkened. "Come, we must finish our reports."

And that was that. He would only speak of it again if I brought it up or if it became serious. He knew from experience that telling someone not to do something was a surefire way for them to do it. After all, the enticement of the forbidden has led people astray since time began.

**A/N Hello! I have no excuses for why this chapter is so late. I did get that R.A. job which stands for resident assistant. I will be living in the college dorms and acting as a sort of den mother to my residents. I am blown away by all the people who reviewed the last chapter, a big thank you to: Mac Gustah, EdwardLunited, ShadowManipulator7, Samthevariablex, arandomperson, umaroth elda, Claret Tho, Farreign, vicious, DragonSlayer2187, and VeeranganaVersaedia! Guys I am so excited, we are set to break 100 reviews this chapter! **

**I was sorted into Slytherin House. I did change my pen name to Rose Aislee Evans to match my pen name on fictionpress which is Rose Evans, but Rose Evans was taken on this site so I added a middle name.**

**Question to answer: Who would win in a fight, Black Widow or Batman? Cast your vote by leaving a review! Until next time!**


	16. Chapter 16

I was having a rather bad day.

As I had predicted I had crawled into my cot just as the sky began to lighten. I only managed a few hours of sleep before I was woken up by a messenger. I just about bit the poor girl's head off for daring to wake me, I did feel bad about it later once I was awake enough to analyze my actions, but not bad enough to track her down and apologize. I mean, I'm glad she did her job because it was Nasuada who had sent for me and showing up late was not a good idea. If it had just been the unusual wake up call I could have bounced back and had an okay day, but it wasn't just that. I woke up with aching eyes and a headache that throbbed in time to my heartbeat. To top it all off it was a Tuesday.

Stupid Tuesday's, they always ruined things.

I hadn't had time to eat breakfast before I was summoned and I could feel my temper simmering because of it. There was also the urge to start bawling and it was a tossup to see which would win. Neither was appealing to me. So, I dug down deep and pulled out a mask I hadn't had to use in months, specifically since the last ball. It had the unfortunate side effect of people believing me to be a haughty rich snob without an ounce of friendliness, but it would do.

I stood in Nasuada's tent with my notes clutched firmly in my left hand. The urge to cry was gone but it did nothing for my headache and empty stomach. Well, you can't have everything.

"Raisa." Nasuada acknowledged me with a graceful tilt of her head. "Eragon has told me his version of events, now I want to hear your report."

I summarized the training I had observed and mentioned that Eragon had learned the spell to transmit objects over large distances and that Saphira had learned more dragon lore. I hesitated as I thought about how to drop a hint about their teachers.

"Much like the title of Shadeslayer, Eragon is not the only one to share his other title." The Ancient Language was surprisingly easy to get around if you were creative. Elves were always honest my butt.

Her gaze sharpened. "Argetlam?"

"As you say." I couldn't help the feeling of smugness that came when I successfully circumvented the oaths.

She leaned back in her chair and nodded slowly. "I had wondered if you would find a way to tell me."

"You knew?" Despite the question in my voice, my face was perfectly placid.

"I didn't know for sure but Eragon had hinted at it." Her fingers tapped against the arm rest. "What you said confirms it without a doubt; do you have anything else of interest to report?"

"No, Nasuada."

"You're dismissed then."

I dipped into a small curtsy and glided out of the tent door. Everything else could wait until I ate.

* * *

It was all Issy's fault, I swear. Okay…maybe it was a tiny bit my fault but it was mostly hers. Still, saying 'my bad' and causally walking away from the smoldering remains of what used to be a table to scribble down what happened on parchment was not exactly handling it. I mean, I love my sister I really do, but that doesn't stop me from wanting to strangle her out of sheer frustration.

How did she even manage to smuggle a table out of the elves tent?

Why did she want that particular table in the first place?

Was I really that sleep deprived that I had actually agreed to help her test a new project?

All good questions. All things that I would like to know, normally.

Unfortunately, my mind had decided to go on vacation and take my curiosity with it. Simply put, I couldn't muster up the needed energy to actually care enough to ask those questions or try to work through them logically. There was a dim sense that I would care once I managed to get some sleep and my sense of responsibility kicked in. But right now all I really cared about was finding the most comfy patch of sand and maneuvering my cloak to block out the sun.

Oh how far I had fallen. If only my governess could see me now.

Whatever, I was going to get some sleep!

Which you know, I would have, if a dragon hadn't decided to disturb me. Dragons honestly, they think they're _so _important. Which I guess they are, but there was no way I was telling Saphira that. She already received massive amounts of compliments. I didn't want something I said to be the tipping point for her to become conceited.

My thought process isn't even making sense to me. Just another reason why I really needed a nap. But alas it was not to be.

I plodded beside Saphira. She was leading me somewhere, or at least I hoped she was. I was more focused on my feet. I took a few more steps forward before I realized that Saphira has stopped.

I blinked and rubbed at my eyes. She had taken me to a tent. A plain standard issue tent.

"Is there a reason why we stopped here?"

_Go into the tent._

I stepped into the tent, and found out what was different about this particular tent.

There was a bath tub full of water with steam rising from it.

_Your sister said that you missed having hot baths the most and that your father would give you all the books you wanted. Happy birthday._

"But my birthday's not for another three days."

_The majority of the camp is leaving tomorrow for the next battle. This is the last breather you'll get for a while. Now we fight our way to the capitol and tear the traitor to shreds!_

**A/N A great big thank you to: ****Mac Gustah, Veera98, arandomperson, mimichamp , ShadowManipulator7, Guest, EdwardLunited, NeverBeforeOrAgain , Nightsky1290 for reviewing last chapter.** **I had this chapter mostly written for ages but just couldn't seem to finish it, until I actually you know, finished it. I will finish this story, never fear! I do have the ending planned out. Because of the nature of this story the battles are not going to be the main focus, this is more of a character driven story then action heavy. I would say that this story has about 7-10 chapters left.**

**As always your comments and feedback are greatly appreciated. **

**Question to answer in your reviews: If you could have a superpower, what would it be and why?**

**Have a great day!**


	17. Chapter 17

Something was going to happen, I was sure of it. I just didn't know for sure what it was. My vague suspicions were driving me crazy. But I had other things to worry about. Like the fact that the resistance was currently fighting its way towards the heart of the empire. You know, the defining battle of the age, or whatever it is they're calling it.

These worries became a background hum and I got lost in the day to day details that running a war camp that was on the move actually required.

But that wasn't what was bothering me.

I pride myself on being pretty self-aware and knowing what I'm feeling even if I'm not able to put it into words. But this unease that followed me around like a duckling was annoying.

"Quit moping." Issy nudged my shoulder.

"I am not moping." I muttered.

She rolled her eyes. "Yes you are and the fact that you're denying it means that it's about something pretty serious. Come on, you're supposed to be sleeping, not glaring at the tent wall."

"Why must every battle be a siege?"

"Not all of them have been."

"You know what I mean."

"Raisa, they'll be fine."  
"But something is _wrong_."

She sighed and started playing with the rings on her fingers.

"Come on, you need sleep. You have to be fresh for your shift."

LINE BREAK

It was completely irrational I knew that. But it didn't stop the small amount of smugness I felt about being proved right about something being wrong. Eh, that sounded confusing. Let me start again. I felt vindicated that my gut feeling was right, even though it was a horrible gut feeling to come true.

Saphira had been hit by a Dauthdaert Niernen, and it had nearly killed her. Apparently while I had been glaring at the wall, Eragon and Arya had managed to take control of the city, after taking care of Saphira. From what I gathered she was lucky to be alive. I hadn't actually seen either of them but had gotten the information from Farica, Nasuada's maid. My fingers drummed against my leg as I paced in the shadow of the command tent. If I stood still I would collapse. Objects in motion tend to stay in motion and all that.

"Go to bed, there's nothing more you can do," my father said.

"There are more reports to compile, logistics to figure out." I twisted my bracelet around.

"I know you Raisa, you'll make mistakes if you keep working. Go to bed."

I nodded slowly and adjusted my hair ribbon.

"If Saphira comes looking for me tell her where I am."

"I'll tell him."

"That's not what I said."

My father smiled. "But that's what you meant."

"I doubt he'll have the time." I swayed and my father steadied me.

"Go to bed," he said firmly.

LINE BREAK

Dras-Leona. The siege that wouldn't end. I sat on my cot rubbing at my eyes. Grains of sand had seemed to take up permanent residence in my eyeballs. They were happy there and seemed to be throwing a party.

"Raisa."

Eragon sat next to me and gently removed my hand from my eyes and intertwined our fingers. I leaned against him and closed my eyes. It was the first moment of peace I had gotten in days.

His voice was quiet when he asked, "Are you sleeping?"

"No." I snuggled closer to him.

He shifted so I could rest more comfortably against him.

"I will be so happy when this siege finally breaks. I can't even begin to describe how happy it will make me."

"Jeod is searching through old scrolls, he thinks he can find another way in." His thumb traced circles on my hand.

"I wish him luck."

"Raisa."

"Hmm?"

"Raisa, you're asleep."

I raised my head from his shoulder. "No I'm not."

"You were." He smiled. "Take a nap, go find Saphira afterwards. She's starting to get worried."

His fingers fell on my jawline as he tilted my face up to kiss my forehead. A soft lingering kiss to my mouth soon followed. His hand fell from my jaw as he stood up.

"Go to sleep."

LINE BREAK

Saphira shifted to give me more shade as I read reports. The grittiness in my eyes refused to leave and a dull throbbing had started up behind my eyes.

_Jeod thinks he might have found something_

_Praise the gods, we might actually be able to move on _Ink dripped onto my hand and a hiss of frustration escaped me.

_You know what city is next_

_The capitol_

_And Galbatorix_

**A/N And I'm back! A big thank you to: ****Nightsky1290, ShadowManipulator7, Guest, viciousmalacite, Mac Gustah, Veera98, Harry, NeverBeforeOrAgain, Phoenix-Magic, arandomperson, The Reaper's grin, darkwolf76, and Guest. Thank you so much for your support through this long hiatus. I had forgotten how much I love Raisa, Saphira, and Eragon. If I could have a superpower it would be the ability to teleport. Next question, Zombies or Vampires?**


	18. Chapter 18

I studied the list of causalities in front of me. Technically, this wasn't part of my duties but the staff was so exhausted it had been delivered to me by mistake. I mostly transcribed orders and intelligence reports. I trailed my finger across the list of names, the name of the commander wasn't familiar to me. Must have had command over a small group of soldiers then. The gates of Dras- Leona had finally been opened and the casualty rate had gone up as a result.

I stilled as a dragon roar sounded much closer than before, a male dragon roar. I shoved the casualty list into the pocket of my skirt. This changes nothing, I told myself. You still have a job to do. You did not survive all the other battles to let a little thing like a fight between Thorn and Saphira distract you. Worrying about it will change absolutely nothing. Pep talk complete, I threw my braid over my shoulder and got back to work.

LINE BREAK

I scrubbed ineffectually at my fingers to try to get the ink off my skin. Giving up, I splashed my face with water.

"Are you alright?" Issy was collapsed on her cot.

I blew out a breath of air. "Yeah."

She rolled over onto her stomach and propped herself up to look at me.

"You don't seem alright."

"My mind just hurts. I've been staring at words for too long."

I sat on my cot and slipped my shoes off. The rustling in my skirt stopped me. I pulled out the casualty report and stared at it.

"I knew there was something I was forgetting, I'll be back."

After I handed the list in, I leaned against the table for a moment and waited for the dizziness to pass. That's what I get for not eating in a while.

LINE BREAK

"I'm sorry, perhaps I didn't hear you right. You want me to do what?" I stared at Nasuada with my hand suspended over my ink.

"It's a failsafe. I don't expect it to ever go into effect." She looked at me with one eyebrow slightly arched.

She held out a sealed letter stamped with her sigil.

"Why not give this to my father?"

"He does not have the temperament for this, nor the right entanglements. Will you accept this?"

"Yes."

"Excellent." She sat next to me and arranged her skirts.

I turned the letter over in my hands before placing it in my pocket.

"There is another matter me need to discuss."

I laid my pen down and gave her my full attention.

"You have handled the elves well over all and I would like to appoint you as a diplomat."

My forehead wrinkled. "Now milady?"

"For after." Her voice was even and she looked as if this was all a forgone conclusion.

"For after the war? You've already given thought to the future government?"

"You know as well as I do that I am the only choice for queen. Eragon doesn't want it and Orrin is not suited for it."

"So you want me to be an ambassador to the Elves, their queen doesn't exactly think very highly of me." I had vivid flashbacks to her blank face as she told me why exactly I was a stupid disrespectful mortal without actually coming out and saying it.

"You are the logical choice."

I twisted my bracelet around my wrist. "Alright then, I accept."

I had the distinct feeling that I was going to be cursing this moment for the rest of my life because I had to deal with stubborn idiots and still be nice. Oh well, that was a future Raisa problem. The lucky girl that A) wasn't constantly sleep deprived and B) was no longer in the middle of a war zone.

LINE BREAK

I tapped the fingers of my right hand against the frame of the cot. A healer was currently warping my wrist to stabilize it. He had healed most of it but it would still be tender for a couple of days. The price of arrogance it seems.

_One hour earlier…_

I adjusted my hair ribbon as I walked beside Farica who was trailing behind Nasuada. Farica glanced at me out of the corner of her eye.

"Are you feeling alright?"

"You know, you're the second person to ask me that today."

"Perhaps there is a reason for that." She looked straight ahead.

I stopped and tilted my head to the side. "Do you hear that?"

She glanced at me and half turned her body. It was that movement that saved her life.

Thorn dove out of the sky with flames extending before him. I grabbed her arm and yanked her to the side. I could feel the heat blister my palm. I was knocked into by a member of Nasuada's guard and I fell, already off balance. Pain radiated around my wrist from the impact. I sat up and cradled my wrist to my chest. I was a liability out here. I heaved myself to my feet and staggered out of the open.

A familiar roar rang through the air. I looked up. Saphira and Thorn were as small as ravens grappling in the air. I rubbed at eyes with my uninjured hand and squinted through the smoke. The tent where the council met was in flames, but the tent where all military information went through was intact.

I weaved my way through the maze of tents and emerged in front of the command tent. My hand throbbed, but it was a manageable pain.

I ducked underneath the tent flap. It was a mess of people franticly shouting at each other. I recognized the shift leader, who seemed to be keeping a cool head and walked towards him.

"Do we know what's going on?"

"We're being attacked." He growled.

I resisted the urge to roll my eyes. Time and a place Raisa, now was not the time.

"Do we know anything specific?"

"They're targeting leaders, not military commanders. Thorn and Murtagh are the only ones here."

I turned the information over in my head. "Not a full attack then. Guerilla warfare. They want to delay us, or take out a specific target." My eyes were fixed on the floor. Take out Nasuada and the council and it delays us yes, but there are contingency plans for complete loss of leadership. Once such was in my pocket.

"Killing our leaders would motivate us, not destroy morale. Everyone loves a good martyr. So why…?" I snapped my eyes up to meet his.

"I was with Nasuada. If she really was supposed to be killed Thorn wouldn't have missed us."

He grabbed my shoulders. "Are you sure?"

"Yes."

He bellowed for a runner. I leaned against the table. I really really hoped I was wrong. A captured Nasuada was far worse than a dead Nasuada.

LINE BREAK

I felt someone briefly touch my mind, the equivalent of someone knocking on a door. Recognizing Eragon, I let him past my shields.

_Are you hurt?_

_The healer says I sprained my wrist and had second degree superficial burns on my hand, nothing too serious._

I could feel his concern flare up.

_I've already been treated, there's nothing you can do. Besides, you have more things to worry about than a superficial injury._

He was silent.

_If it was something to worry about I would tell you, but there isn't. Stop worrying about me, worry about how you are going to get Nasuada back. _

_Just be careful_

I felt him withdraw from my mind.

I looked down at the letter I held in my hand. After several minutes I finally opened it. I stared at the words. No. She couldn't have done that. I read through it again.

_In the event of my death or capture I hereby declare Eragon Shadeslyaer leader of the Varden and dissolve the current Council of Elders and appoint these five people in its steed and rename it the Circle of Advisers. _

My name was one of the five.

Oh no.

**A great big thank you to those who reviewed last chapter: kpopisawesome, Veera98, Turtlekier42, Nightsky1290, ShadowManipulator7. So my professor brought lemon bars to class the other day and I went to take a bite and inhaled powdered sugar and started coughing. And then another girl did the exact same thing like a minute later so at least I wasn't alone. I think vampires are more interesting. Next question, Doctor Who or Sherlock? Please leave a review!**


	19. Chapter 19

Strangling the man sitting across from me was not a good idea. I mean, it wasn't the worst idea I'd ever had but it still wasn't a good one. To keep from strangling said man I kept my eyes fixed on the patch of table directly in front of me. While a brilliant tactical commander, he didn't know a thing about supply chains and running an intelligence network (among other nitty gritty administrative tasks which I now got to head, oh joy.)

"We cannot simply go charging in to the capitol and purposely cut off any way for our healers to get in and expect to win." I'll admit my tone leaned more on the disrespectful side but at least I hadn't resorted to shouting like other members of the circle, yet.

Lyseen jumped up out of his chair and started pacing (again) Elva had her arms crossed and stared at the tent wall smirking (again) and Eragon looked like he's rather be facing Murtagh than dealing with the five of us squabbling over what to do next. I really hoped Nasuada knew what she was doing when she picked her Circle of Advisors. All we had accomplished so far was agreeing that we needed to move on to Urû'baen, and that Nasuada wouldn't want us to try to rescue her.

"If we lose, supply chains and healers won't matter."

I snorted. "Well that's optimistic."

Lyseen's hand began to drift toward the hilt of his sword. Then, he clenched his fist and his hand fell to his side.

"Raisa is right. We need to prepare as if we expect to win. Otherwise, we'll lose people to treatable injuries," Mira said. Her wheat blonde hair lay in a sturdy braid down her back and the crinkles around her eyes were more pronounced than normal.

"It will only add two extra days to properly arrange. Mira's team has gotten rather quick at it with all the practice they've had at the sieges," I said.

Lyseen stopped pacing and gripped the back of his chair.

Eragon was silent, his eyes fixed on the papers scattered on the table.

Elva looked away from the tent wall to stare at Eragon.

Reven leaned forward and planted his elbows on the table.

Mira twisted her wedding ring around her finger.

"The Varden will wait the two extra days," Eragon said.

And finally, the meeting was over.

LINE BREAK

I sat on my cot staring at my hands for no particular reason. The skin of my knuckles was cracked and bleeding slightly from the dry heat. Paper cuts littered my fingers and ink was smudged on the skin between my thumb and index finger. I noticed all of this in a haze of thoughts that kept chasing round and round in my head. Tomorrow we marched on the capitol. Tomorrow it all ended. Even if we won the war we would still have to restructure the entire government and reform the legislative system. Oh well, that was somebody else's headache.

I pulled my hair into an inside out braid and secured the end of it with a crimson hair ribbon. The light glinted off the gold links of my belt that rested on my waist. Time to go make nice with people.

LINE BREAK

It was chaos.

Tempers were shot and more than one poor scribe got screamed at.

I was on edge because of the stupid plan that Eragon had agreed to (never mind that it was the only half decent idea that anybody had come up with.) My hair was coming out of my braid and I just knew that I had ink smeared across my forehead. I suppose none of that really mattered in the grand scheme of things but it still bothered me.

One scribe tapped me on the shoulder. "My lady, it's your turn to eat."

I carefully set down the report from the healers tents and straightened from my hunched over position. My back gave a few uncomfortable twinges.

I ate quickly and was soon back in the command hub.

A dragon roared, too distant for me to be sure of which dragon.

The roar echoed through the streets and then cut off.

Everyone stilled and looked up from their work. Then as one their heads turned to our magic user who was linked in to the rest of the Du Vrangr Gata.

"It is done, Galbatorix and his dragon are dead."

The roar of cheering that followed seemed to rattle the windows. I laughed and dropped the papers onto the desk.

LINE BREAK

"It isn't over yet. It's really just beginning. The start of a new age," I said.

We were sitting on the floor leaning into each other and Eragon was slowly rubbing circles with his thumb across my hand.

"Nasuada is back, which I am very grateful for."

I laughed. "Yes, I could see how much you enjoyed shaking hands and overseeing the circle." I nudged him playfully.

"What will you do now?"

"Go the elves as soon as Nasuada wishes, I am to be an ambassador after all." She had grand plans that each people be represented by an embassy, something that she hoped would keep ties strong. And what Nasuada wanted she usually got through determination and careful maneuvering.

"And you?"

"Bring back the eggs I suppose."

My brain whirred attempting to dissect that sentence.

"Bring back what eggs?" My voice was low.

I could see the smirk he was poorly attempting to hide.

"The dragon eggs of course."

I opened my mouth, closed it, and then wiggled out of his embrace.

"What dragon eggs? Is Saphira a mother and she didn't tell me?"

"No, they're not hers. You remember when I left—"

"There were many times you left please be more specific."

"The last time I left."

I waited for him to go on.

"I went to the Rock of Kuthian and there was a vault of dragon eggs," he said.

"Dragon eggs, and you never thought to tell anyone?"

"I forgot until it was time for me to remember."

"You're going to rebuild them, the Dragon Riders."

He nodded, looking at me carefully. "There isn't a place on the continent that will support that many dragons."

"So you'll train them away from everyone and then have outposts on the continent, otherwise the general public will start to fear and mistrust you and that will create a ton of problems that you want to avoid."

He looked at me the way he had in the beginning.

"You have given some thought to this, then."

"Of course." My hands settled on my hips.

He smiled, slid his hands into my hair and kissed me.

**A/N So much love to all of you who have taken the time to leave a review and to those who have faved and followed this story. There is only an epilogue left and then this story is finished, finally. I'm considering doing a series of oneshots/drabbles to continue this story. What would you guys like to see happen? Do you have any prompts for me?  
**

**The next story I want to do is in the Doctor Who fandom, here's the summary: "The cookie dough or the freaky light show? Jess wasn't sure which came first, but after the cookie dough came the food poisoning and after the food poisoning came the moving **_**mannequins.**_** Then she woke up in a basement full of dead people. She was so suing the universe as soon as she could walk in a straight line." This is going to be told in third person for a change.  
**

**Anyone interested in being a beta for that story? Let me know in a review or a PM. As always, I look forward to reading your reviews, they brighten my day. **


	20. Chapter 20

Epilogue

There were a lot of things I expected after the end of the war. Being betrothed to a Dragon Rider was not one of them. Nor was escorting Dragon eggs to Ellesméra as my first official diplomatic mission.

I sat in front of the fire leaning against Saphira rubbing my thumb against the eggshell I had picked up the last time I was in Ellesméra. I stood up and as had become my ritual for the last few days, looked at the eggs. Well not really looked at them, more like looked at the space where they were supposed to be. I had seen them at the beginning of the journey and had gleefully studied the variety of colors and sizes and couldn't resist touching a few.

My skirts were waving slightly in the breeze and I had my sleeves pushed up my arms. Eragon was somewhere by the river and Saphira looked sleepily content. And then Saphira didn't look all that sleepy anymore. There was a rush of _something_ and a single violet egg lay on the ground free of the spell.

I stared at it.

Saphira stared at it.

I took a step closer and then froze when the egg began to shake.

The staring continued.

"Um, I think it is hatching."

At some point I had ended up on the ground. Cracks appeared on the surface of the egg. Finally, a head poked through. Within a minute the hatchling was free of the egg and had tumbled out onto the forest floor. It shook the last remnants of eggshell from its wings and then decided to stare at me. The hatchling was roughly the size of a full grown cat and started making its way on wobbly legs to me, still sitting on the ground with my mouth wide open like an idiot.

_I called for Eragon_

I nodded once in acknowledgment.

The violet Dragon stopped short of actually touching me and looked at me expectantly. It took longer than it should have for me to get with the program and offer the hatchling my hand. Immediately the Dragon touched my palm with its head. The resulting experience was exactly as Eragon had described.

When Eragon arrived at the campsite it was to see the hatchling playing with the laces of my boots and me cradling my right hand with my left, the gedwëy ignasia on full display.

"You missed the show," I said.

"Saphira showed me." He stepped carefully towards me and settled on the ground next to me. His face was full of joy.

The little Dragon had looked up at his entrance but had dismissed him as uninteresting and had gone back to its game.

"So is it a requirement that I have to carry a sword because my weapons skills are atrocious."

He laughed. "We can worry about that later." He lifted my hand and pressed a ghost of a kiss to my fingertips.

I relaxed my body and leaned in to his side, far less worried now that he was here.

_She needs a name. _

I looked up. _Female, you're sure?_

Saphira sniffed. _Of course I'm sure._

"Okay names. Um, Themis?"

She snorted.

"Taliesin?"

She abandoned my shoes and curled up in my lap. I was taking that as a yes.

"Now, Taliesin. The Elves are going to go crazy about you because you are a Dragon but I don't want that to go to your head, okay?"

She opened one violet eye lazily before curling up in a tighter ball. The first dragon born in the new age, or so I thought.

**A/N This story is officially finished! Thank you so much to everybody that has taken the time to read this. Most of you guessed that Raisa would end up a Dragon Rider and I hope that I did it justice. Do you guys want me to write a sequel to this? It would be a series of interconnected one-shots. I do have plenty of ideas… Let me know in a review!**


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